CNET | VIRUS & SECURITY NEWSLETTER Two new worms spreading worldwide November 28, 2001 Vol. 1, No. 1 After an extended hiatus, CNET Software is re-launching its Virus & Security newsletter. Thanks for waiting-we're sure you'll find this new version just as timely and helpful. This newsletter will arrive in your inbox every other Wednesday, or when necessary in case of a virus outbreak. Virus writers don't observe holidays. They don't take days off, either. Over the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, two worms--both exploiting the same vulnerability in Internet Explorer--began filling e-mail inboxes worldwide. Badtrans.B is a revised version of a worm that carries a password-stealing Trojan horse, but this time around, it can launch automatically without any user interaction. The same is true with the very small (only 4KB) and not very dangerous Aliz worm. Both automatically executing worms are spreading rapidly, so do your part to stop them: If you're running Internet Explorer 5.01 or 5.5 and haven't updated the software, download the MS01-020 patch below from Microsoft today. Or, just upgrade your current version of Internet Explorer to the latest, version 6.0 below. Robert Vamosi Virus & Security Guru CNET Software & Internet Unsubscribe instructions are at the bottom of this newsletter. ________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Alert: Beware Badtrans.B 2. Alert: Aliz spreads worldwide 3. Downloads: Microsoft MS01-020 patch and Internet Explorer 6.0 4. Downloads: F-Secure Antivirus demo 5. News: Worm hits home for the holidays 6. Subscribe and unsubscribe _________________________________________________________________ 1. Alert: Beware Badtrans.B A new version of this worm executes automatically on some computers. An included Trojan horse captures passwords and credit cards, then sends that information to malicious users. http://www.cnet.com/software/0-7760531-8-7897462-1.html _________________________________________________________________ 2. Alert: Aliz spreads worldwide This non-destructive but very annoying worm overloads e-mail servers with copies of itself. http://www.cnet.com/software/0-7760531-8-6323501-1.html _________________________________________________________________ 3. Downloads: Microsoft MS01-020 patch for Internet Explorer 5 Stop Aliz and Badtrans from spreading by updating your Internet Explorer 5.01 and 5.5 software with this patch from Microsoft. http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10105-100-7992598.html Or upgrade to Internet Explorer 6.0 http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0,10151,0-3364664-106-0-1-0,00.html _________________________________________________________________ 5. Downloads: F-Secure Antivirus demo A multilayered virus-protection system, F-Secure Anti-Virus performs simultaneous scans using the F-Prot and AVP antivirus engines simultaneously. This technology allows several scanning engines to be plugged in to scan the files side-by-side for current and future protection against virus threats. Download a demo here: http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10093-100-6626647.html Or, choose from a selection of antivirus products here: http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0,10151,0-10093-106-0-1-0,00.html ___________________________________________________________ 6. News: Worm hits home for the holidays Find out the latest regarding the Badtrans.B infection from News.com. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-7979449.html ____________________________________________________________ 7. Subscribe and unsubscribe You are receiving this Virus & Security Newsletter because you elected to have it sent to you. To subscribe to the Virus & Security Newsletter or to another free CNET newsletter: http://www.cnet.com/subscription/0-16335.html To unsubscribe from this or any CNET newsletter: http://www.cnet.com/subscription/0-16335.html ______________________________________________________________ Copyright 1995-2001 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved