Worm Triggers Attacks on File

[desdemona]

I'm wondering if this may be slsk's problem.

By Mike Musgrove, Washington Post Staff Writer

The latest variant of the Netsky worm is directing infected computers to launch Web-based attacks against music- and file-trading Web services such as Kazaa, taking down at least one company's Web sites in the process.

The worm, the 19th version of a bug that made its debut in February, is also targeting some Web sites that offer computer programs designed to illegally break or bypass copyright controls on software programs.

Sharman Networks, owner and distributor of Kazaa software, said in a statement that the attack had "no disruptive effect" on its site.

But Jed McCaleb, lead programmer for eDonkey file-sharing software, said the worm temporarily knocked out the company's two main Web sites. A third site run by the company remained up and all were working late yesterday.

McCaleb said does not know why his sites were attacked. "It's strange to me that these people are virus writers and pointing their fingers at others," he said in a phone interview yesterday. "Obviously they don't have the highest morals if they are hurting people's computers."

McCaleb said that the three-year-old service has 5 million users worldwide.

Antivirus experts said they were unsure whether the author of the 19th version of the Netsky worm is the same as the author of previous versions. A 20th version of the worm that has been circulating on the Web is scheduled to attack a similar group of file-sharing sites between April 14 and April 23.

The experts advised people not to click on strange attachments in e-mail, which can activate the worm, and to update their antivirus software frequently to ward off new threats.

http://mp3.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.ht...a349%5F2004apr9

Edited April 12, 2004 by desdemona