“Security firms are warning that a new virus is on the loose, and its target appears to be Microsoft.com. The new virus, named Zindos, piggybacks on the success of the recent MyDoom.O virus. Zindos compromises computers infected with the earlier virus and is programmed to visit the Microsoft home page every 50 milliseconds,” IBS reports.
“Earlier this week Google, Lycos, Altavista and Yahoo all struggled to cope with the MyDoom.O virus, which created endless loops of requests directed at the targeted Web sites. Zindos is spread from infected computer to infected computer, via a ‘back-door’ in the MyDoom.O virus. That opening allows Zindos to bypass other virus protections and infect a computer. It then uses the comprised machine to attack the Microsoft site and search for other computers to infect,” IBS reports. “The virus affects Windows systems but not computers running the Linux or Apple operating systems.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: For our Windows-only using friends, information on smoothly adding a Mac OS X machine to your computing arsenal can be found here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
New York Times: Mac OS X ‘much more secure than Windows XP’ – September 18, 2003
Spyware, adware plague Windows users online; Mac OS X users surf freely – April 19, 2004
What’s the point of Anti-Virus for already-virus-free Mac OS X? – June 24, 2004
My coworker just rebuilt his XP toshiba laptop because of this little bugger…
Don’t think he’ll ever switch though.
keefe, send him this one and ask again
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Another week, another Windows virus……sigh.
When will they ever learn?
tell me about it. You’d think people with a modicum of sense would apply updates when they come out… but hey… most computer illiterate people use less-expensive PCs, unfortunately… ironic… because it would make more sense to use a Mac… which requires a LOT less maintenance.
Apple should REALLY think about targetting novice-computer users with low-end macs… moreso than eMacs do already… but hey… I’m not their head of marketing.
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Hmm -how long before the virus writers figure out that all they’re really doing is attacking Akamai and not the source machines? If these things were attacking, say the mail servers, MS would be in a lot rougher shape. A DDOS attack on the mail relays could effectively cut MS off from the world.
Spousal Abuse
Staying with MS Windows, regardless of the problems, is sounding more and more like spousal abuse. “But, I love him!!” and they are completely unable to see any other alternative. When they do, they think that ALL others are just like this one. This leads to the wrong conclusion “I’d rather have the Hell I know than the Hell I don’t know.” Sadly, they are unaware that the alternative is more like Heaven.
Perhaps, we Mac users need to start a Windows support group…
“Hello, my name is Bill and I am a Microsoft addict.”
[group] “Hello, Bill!”
“I would spend hours and hours troubleshooting, reformatting my hard drives, and talking to dozens of tech support people around the globe JUST to make my email work for a few minutes. Even the Blue Screen o’ Death actually gave me comfort. It told me that I had offended the MS gods and must cleanse myself of all impurities. I believed them. I trusted them. The thought of moving to a Mac frightened me. There was no interaction with the OS at all. I never knew if I was doing anything wrong. The long agonizing anticipation of a fatal system error was driving me crazy. I NEEDED the errors and warnings of MS Windows to assure me that they were still there. …THEN I saw the light!! I could actually live WITHOUT those errors. I can have peace in my life. YOU can, too!! Please, join me. Get a Mac! Be saved!! Hallelujah!!”
It attacks Microsoft.com? Any way I can get this to run on my Mac? LOL!
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Bizarro Jeff
Now if only someone would write a virus that attacks Real. Call it “Disharmony”
Hello, my name is OS X and I have been virus free for 4 years 8 months and 16 days.
Bizarro Jeff,
LOL! Excellent!!!!!! That’s one virus I’d love to catch!
windows sucks
iHatePeeCees