Virus spreads quickly, but may be a dud..please read

Virus spreads quickly, but may be a dud..please read

www.msnbc.msn.com

updated 2:23 p.m. CT, Sat., Jan. 17, 2009

NEW YORK - A computer virus that may leave Microsoft Windows users vulnerable to digital hijacking is spreading through companies in the United States, Europe and Asia, already infecting close to 9 million machines, according to a private online security firm.

Fortunately, however, it may be a dud.

Though computer bugs have become a common affliction, Finland-based F-Secure says a virus it has been tracking for the past several weeks has surged more rapidly through corporate networks than anything they have seen in years.

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Hi everyone, check this...

"The gang behind this worm haven't used it yet," F-Secure's chief research officer, Nikko Hypponen said by phone. "But they could do anything they like with any of these machines at any time."

Microsoft issued a security update Tuesday to deal with the so-called "Downadup" or "Conficker" virus, which appears to be a new version of a bug that popped up in October.

"Over the last couple of weeks, a new variant of this worm has been affecting customers," the company acknowledged in a blog post. Microsoft said the virus is spreading by gaining access to one computer and then guessing at passwords of other users in the same network: "If the password is weak, it may succeed."

Make sure to check for your updates if you use Windows

SeeYa!

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

It's not a dud, and I will bet every penny I have that some antivirus company with inside info is causing this problem. Anti-virus companies do this all the time to keep selling updates and new software to an ever expanding customer base. It's the trade secret.

sounds more like a trojan then a virus, and I don't buy this at all.

It doesn't have AI, someone has to send commands to it....and this story doesn't add up.

The quote:
"The gang behind this worm haven't used it yet,"

OK, so they say its a worm, but If they haven't used it yet that would confirm its a worm/trojan. And how would someone send commands to 5 million of them?

I think all of them would have to coordinate through a central server or IP address. Because it would be impossible to issue commands to 5 million. Unless the trojan/worm sends IP data back to a central server/ip. And if that happened it would increase the chances of catching the creator.


This is a promotional stunt of some sort. Someone might have created it and will not harm any PC's confess to it and try to get a security job somewhere. Especially with the job market weak right now. That theory adds up.

Or like the guy said, could have been released by an AV company.

[edit on 17/1/09 by xstealth]