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Conficker Worm Spooks Security Researchers
SecurityProNews
Staff Writer
2009-01-12
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Security experts are warning that malware authors may be gearing up for a large-scale attack via what's been dubbed the "Conficker worm," a virus exploiting a Microsoft Windows server vulnerability and spread via USB device.
 | | Conficker Worm Spooks Security Researchers |  |
Panda Security compares it to the "Melissa" and "I love you" viruses, which wreaked digital havoc when floppy disks were still prevalent. Panda has set their malware alert level to "orange," or medium, or, on Ron White's scale, "buy a helmet."
The Conficker worm and its variants A, B, and C, which have been tracked since November, propagates via the MSO8-067 vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows server service-patch available at the Microsoft Bulletin page-and spreads via specially crafted Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) to other machines.
It also spreads via USB drives and MP3 players, making it a potentially widespread threat that constantly updates from changing IP addresses, making it hard to block. Panda says some variants are designed to download additional malware, leading experts there to warn of a potential large-scale attack in the near future.
"The most likely scenario is that cybercriminals are looking to quickly infect a large number of computers. Once infected, secondary infections designed for economic gain can be easily downloaded onto the compromised machines," said Ryan Sherstobitoff, Chief Corporate Evangelist for Panda Security.
"Examples of this type of malware are Trojans designed to steal online banking passwords, or rogue antimalware programs that create pop-ups constantly telling the user their computer is infected. This type of infection makes it almost impossible to use the computer until users buy and install the appropriate remedy."
About the Author:
SecurityProNews is a daily online and email publication focusing on internet security issues.
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