Windows Worm Goes Global

A computer worm slamming corporate networks running Windows 2000

operating systems continued to make the rounds today after slowing

down numerous high profile organizations on Tuesday.

The Zotob.B virus, which surfaced earlier this month after Microsoft

warned of the security flaw, has already hit media outlets including

ABC, CNN, The Associated Press and The New York Times, among others, and has

now gone global.

While most security firms initially labeled the worm a low-risk threat

and had even predicted the Windows hole would be targeted by hackers

developing more effective variants on a worm, several firms are warning the

problem may be greater than anticipated.

According to the security outfit IMlogic Threat Center, the worms are now

using a chat channels to allow gain hackers access and control of an

infected machines.

“The rapid spread of these worms is illustrating the special problems

posed by threats that can leverage real time data channels like IM,” warned

IMlogic’s security experts.

Microsoft released a statement today saying their analysis revealed new

worms variants of the existing Zotob. However, The software maker continues

to rate the issue as a low threat for customers and will continue to review

the situation.

Redmond released a “critical” patch Aug. 9 for the vulnerability, which

is most severe on Windows 2000 systems. Those computers can be accessed

remotely through the operating system’s “Plug and Play” hardware detection

feature.

The bug takes advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft’s plug-and-play

code found in Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Server 2003.

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