New virus spreads fast on Internet
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Ladybug007

Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
New virus spreads fast on Internet

San Francisco, Sep 20 (DPA) A new Internet virus is spreading fast, posing as a security update from Microsoft, according to Internet security firms.

The W32.Swen or W32.Gibe virus is yet another embarrassment for Microsoft as it takes advantage of a two-year-old security hole in the company's Windows operating system and comes as the software giant urges millions of users to download patches to fix the vulnerability.

Though Microsoft never distributes security patches by email, the virus poses as a critical fix arriving with a .EXE attachment with the subject line ''Microsoft Internet Update Pack'', ''Microsoft Critical Patch'' or ''Newest Security Update''.

According to Symantec Security Response, the worm attempts to kill anti-virus and personal firewall programmes running on a computer. Swen/Gibe is also capable of exploiting a known Internet Explorer vulnerability to spread via peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa and IRC. The worm is capable of swiping an infected user's name, password and e-mail server details, experts warned.

''It is highly effective in spreading because it looks very official and masquerades as a legitimate e-mail from Microsoft, or as a fix tool for a well-known virus,'' said Ken Dunham, an analyst with security firm iDefense.

Juju2bigdog

Friday, September 19, 2003 - 09:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Heh, I just posted about this virus in the computer thread at 9:50 PM. I received one of these e-mails tonight. Here is what I posted in the other thread:

VIRUS ALERT!!!

Just got a Spam in to my real life account which almost NEVER gets Spam. It is titled New Security Pack and purports to be from Microsoft. The From line shows: From: "Microsoft Security Services" <pkhrzp @bulletin.msn.com>

The body of the e-mail is very official looking and has clickable links, all of which go to the legitimate Microsoft website. It says Microsoft has completed its update service pack, or words to that effect, to combat the latest security deficiencies. There is a file attached called installation6.exe. I dang near opened it, and then something told me not to. I then went to Snopes and did a search on Microsoft Security Services. According to Snopes, the attached file is a virus called Swen-A.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/patch.asp

(if the above link does not work, just go to www.snopes.com and do the search I did.)

Pannie

Friday, September 19, 2003 - 11:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Gosh, I thought the kids would be busy with school work and not have enough time to create these bugs. Oy,

Twiggyish

Saturday, September 20, 2003 - 01:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That's awful. You know there are a lot of people who'll click on the installation. Dang!