resource center
  See your link here
|
Subscribe to Computerworld IDG News Service -
Users of AOL's instant messaging software, AIM, should be on the lookout for an innovative new worm variously named "Oscarbot-B" and "Doyorg" by antivirus companies.
The Windows-based malware emerged last week, and has made itself a nuisance for its ability to hijack the list of contacts or "buddies" in an infected user's IM account. After opening a window to any one of these contacts with the message "Hey check this out," it invites users to follow an embedded link. Anyone who clicks on this will risk becoming its next victim.
On machines where infection is successful, the worm creates a backdoor into Internet Relay Chat to download and run files on the instruction of the attacker, giving remote access to that PC.
Intriguingly, the attempt to spread via AIM is not initiated immediately, and depends on a further instruction from the attacker to start the infection/attack cycle anew. This might explain why the infection cycle has thus far moved slowly without being widely commented on by antivirus companies.
Although its effects are little worse than a nuisance right now, in the world of malware that counts for nothing.
Graham Cluley of Sophos, an antivirus company that targets business customers, suggested that companies needed to consider whether IM is worth the risk.
"Fundamentally, many businesses will have to ask their staff if they really need IM for their day-to-day work ,and if not, it may be more sensible to take it away," he said. "We're certainly seeing more instant messaging malware being written, although they haven't yet had the same kind of impact as email-aware worms or Internet worms."
IDG.net
Sustaining SOX Compliance: Best Practices to Mitigate Risk, Automate Compliance, and Reduce Costs
Since the adoption of SOX, much has been learned about IT compliance. Discover how to make SOX efforts more effective in "Sustaining Sox...
Why Compliance Pays
This OnDemand webcast explores the relationship that firms with best compliance records have higher revenue, greater customer retention, lower financial losses from data...
IDC White Paper: CCM for IT Compliance and Risk Management
Learn from industry analysts how IT organizations are using configuration management to meet compliance requirements and instill best practices. Find out how these...
Best Practices for Managing Business Risks from the Use of IT
(Source: Symantec) Based on exhaustive benchmarks conducted by the IT Policy Compliance, this session highlights the relationship between business risks and use of...
Keep it Clean: Maintaining the Integrity of your CMDB through Change Detection
Learn how configuration drift can challenge configuration management database (CMDB) integrity and how a configuration audit tool and an effective change management process...
Managing And Protecting Your Ever Increasing Mobile Assets
(Source: Absolute Software) Your users are becoming more mobile each day. This is great for productivity - yet challenging for IT control. Natalie...
The Tripwire HIPAA Solution: Meeting the Security Standards Set Forth in Section 164
HIPAA requires businesses that handle personal health information (PHI) to set up strong controls to ensure the security and integrity of that information....
Sun OpenSSO Enterprise Webinar
(Source: Sun) This webinar replay discusses Sun OpenSSO Enterprise innovation--the single, open-source solution that helps your business solve the challenges around internal access...
Configuration Assessment: Choosing the Right Solution
Configuration assessment lets businesses proactively secure their IT infrastructure and achieve compliance with important industry standards and regulations. Learn why configuration assessment is...
Agile Enterprise Content Management (ECM) for Rapid ROI
(Source: IBM) Content rich business processes are a core feature of daily operations at just about any organization today. Very often these essential...
Sign up to receive updates on the latest Security resources
CIO
Computerworld
CSO
DEMO
GamePro
Games.net
IDC
IDG
IDG Connect
IDG Knowledge Hub
IDG TechNetwork
IDG Ventures
IDG.net
InfoWorld
ITwhitepapers
ITworld
JavaWorld
LinuxWorld
Macworld
Network World
PC World
The Industry Standard
Copyright © 1994 - 2009 Computerworld Inc. All
rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without express written permission ofComputerworld Inc. is prohibited. Computerworld and Computerworld.com and the respective logos are trademarks of International Data Group Inc. |
