“A disgruntled hacker with a personal grudge against Symantec, which provides anti-virus software to leading Fortune 500 companies, could be behind a new, crippling computer virus that’s already hit a division of at least one big U.S. corporation on Thursday,” Parija B. Kavilanz reports for CNNMoney.
Kavilanz reports, “If it spreads, technology experts warn the latest strains of the insidious RINBOT computer virus could hijack network systems of businesses worldwide.”
Kavilanz reports, “Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant with Boston-based IT security firm Sophos, said his company has been aware of ‘a number’ of new versions of the RINBOT or DELBOT virus produced since Feb. 15. ‘We believe this latest strain is the 7th version of RINBOT which first emerged in March 2005,’ Cluley said.”
“According to Cluley, this version is designed to exploit security vulnerabilities embedded in anti-virus software,” Kavilanz reports. “‘Traditionally hackers always went after Microsoft’s anti-virus programs. But now they’re increasingly targeting other commonly used programs such as Symantec programs and others,’ he said.”
“Cluley said this strain appears to be hitting MS SQL servers. It looks for networks that run the Microsoft (Charts) Windows operating system, including Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT and Windows XP. It then spreads through the network by manipulating ‘weak’ spots such as simple passwords,” Kavilanz reports. “Once it’s in, Cluley said the virus quickly spreads and takes over many computers with the intention of turning the network into a botnet, or a ‘zombie’ network.”
Kavilanz reports, “Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner (Charts) and parent of CNN and CNNMoney.com, confirmed that its systems were hit by a virus Thursday.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ll just let the related articles below (edited due to excessive length) do the talking.
Related articles:
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Way to go M$!!!
OK or just viral advertising by MS itself… you know we really need to get you on Vista now… for security
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Is that the son of Darth Sidious?
Microsoft’s antivirus software? What’s that? Windows firewall? Clippy?
EEK a virus !!!
Battle Stations, Raise Shields, bring the photon torpedos online.
Oh it was just a nightmare, My Macbook Pro is fine.
SUCKS TO BE WINDOWS
Just one of many thoughts.
like Nelson says on The Simpsons
“ha-ha”
Somewhere there’s a portly, bald hacker sitting in his office grinning while stroking a long-haired Persian cat. His NSA code name is Feve Fallmer.
Where is Zune Tang ?
What are his thoughts on this outrage?
Perhaps his PC is under the weather!!
One can only hope and pray.
Another of many thoughts
This story seems to have taken a while to surface. The broadcaster I work at was hit by this virus last Thursday 22 February, and the IT guys and Symantec have been working like mad to contain it. It crippled the Windows network to the point that people were sharing files by running USB keys back and forth.
Why upgrade your company’s hardware and software to run Vista, and then have to deal with viruses. Come on over, PC users. We got Macs just waiting for you.
Zune Tang is dead.
His PC ordered him to reboot.
He was electrocuted when his foot got stuck in the monitor.
His mom got her sewing room in the basement back.
Just call me smug!
Sorry to here about Zune Tang.
Let me ask one thing, DID HE SUFFER?
God I hope so,
a concerned thoughtful friend
Zune Tang dead??
thats kinda extreme,
I heard he installed visit, and his vista security thinks he’s a risk, and won’t allow him back into his computer
Reason #23,535,324,947 not to run Windows as your OS on mission critical systems.
Reading those links makes me want to legally change my name to “Macintosh Unaffected.”
Hmm, not a bad idea, actually. Maybe I’d never get sick again!
Yet Windows IT guys keep recommending PC’s because they know damn well that they would be out of a job if they switched their companies to Macs!
Mac consultants are like the Maytag repairman — they’re never needed!!
I’m a Mac consultant — I know of which I speak!
— Scott Rose, ScottWorld
Damn Scott, you are just the man I am looking for.
Filemaker e-commerce sites, cool.
Don’t worry, you will soon have all the work you need.
These PC customers are soo funny, they have money and they
are dumby. Just got on a roll and could not control myself.
I will email you from your site to get the ball rolling.
Action is a thought with legs
Darth Vista?
HAAAAAAA…….HAAAAAAAAAAA….no really, this is just to funny!
just because the mainstream media did not include vista in the list does NOT mean vista isn’t affected.
we have no reasonable evidence that vista is any more secure than other versions of doze (the microsoft Felon is NOT a reasonable source of evidence).
anybody heard anything specific that vista is immune?
Hello Mac Users,
It’s me RINBOT and wanted to drop I line to all my Unix based friends.
You guys sure are tough, all I can do to you is look like a 53k attachment in your
email. Not fair…I know a guy named David Maynor who says he’s found a hole, I tried it and
he is full of Sh@t, and a glory hound to boot.
Windows is so much more fun where I can get down to the
USB driver level in no time. Thanks Bill for .Net it sure has made my job
of deleting files and replicating much easier.
Anywho, got to get back business being insidious and all. Saw the post Darth Sidious,
funny!!!
Look for my brother RIMJOB coming in the next few weeks, He makes you feel good
up until he F@cks you up the A@@.
Sorry for the profanity MDN – Keep up the good Unaffected Work.
Your Friend,
RINBOT
ps. I use a Mac all the time.
What about Zune Tang?
Macs get taken over every day. Hackers are reporting viruses for mac every minute. I make gud software and appel downt. Please sent me money so I can produce more crap. Just don’t look behind the curtain because I just zune squirted in my pants. I mean Ipods suck and Macs are……….
Man, I couldn’t care less for those Windows suckers.