>Hi All, >Here's another virus alert, especially if you use Outlook for >email. Click >on the link for virus scan & repairs. ><http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/viruses/goner/default.asp?cid=2636> > >'Goner' Worm Hitting Corporate, Individual PCs >Updated: Tue, Dec 04 3:35 PM EST >By Elinor Mills Abreu and Bernhard Warner > >SAN FRANCISCO/LONDON (Reuters) - A new computer worm named >"Goner" was >spreading quickly through corporate and personal e-mail inboxes >on Tuesday, >deleting system files and clogging networks in what could be >the biggest >outbreak since last year's "Love Letter" virus, security >software vendors >said. > >"Goner is one of the most incredibly fast moving and >potentially dangerous >e-mail viruses we've seen," said Mark Sunner, chief technology >officer of >MessageLabs Inc. > >The worm, a virus that propagates itself to other computers >through the >Internet or other networks, is affecting users of Microsoft >Corp.'s Outlook >and Outlook Express, said Ian Hameroff, business manager of >security >solutions at Computer Associates International Inc. > >People using ICQ instant messenger and Internet Relay Chat also >are >susceptible to the worm because files can be transferred across >those >networks, Hameroff said. > >The Goner worm arrives in an attachment masquerading as a >screensaver, with >an e-mail subject line of "Hi" and text that says: "How are >you? When I saw >this screen saver, I immediately thought about you I am in a >harry (sic), I >promise you will love it!" > >Once the attachment is clicked, the worm sends itself to >everyone in the >user's e-mail address book, tries to close programs that are >running and >deletes certain system files, including security software, said >Hameroff. > >Goner also tries to install a denial of service script on >machines of IRC >users, said Symantec Corp. . That could turn PCs into launch >pads for denial >of service attacks, which malicious hackers use to flood Web >servers with >traffic from multiple PCs, effectively shutting down Internet >sites to >legitimate traffic. > >"This is at outbreak status, which is very rare," said April >Goostree, virus >research manager at McAfee.com. ><http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/viruses/goner/default.asp?cid=2636> >"The last outbreak we had was 'Love Letter' in May 2000." > >A virus is given outbreak status by McAfee.com if it is >determined to be >spreading quickly and affecting large corporate networks as >well as >individual computer users, Goostree said. > >One of the nastier aspects of the virus is its attempt to >disable antivirus >and firewall software, so that victims have to reinstall the >software in >order to prevent future infections, said Sunner of MessageLabs. > >SPREADING QUICKLY IN EUROPE, US > >UK-based e-mail security outsourcer MessageLabs Inc. said it >was receiving >more than 100 copies of the worm a minute, totaling about >23,000 worldwide >since early Tuesday morning, with users in 17 countries hit. > >Anti-virus software firm Trend Micro Inc. said it had recorded >infections in >17,000 work stations and 30,000 corporate e-mail accounts >across Europe, >primarily in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. > >The first report came from a French company on Tuesday >afternoon, said >Raimund Genes, Trend Micro's European vice president of sales. >The firm has >issued a "high risk" warning on Goner, the same rating it >assigned this >summer's virulent Code Red worm > >"I expect by tomorrow morning we will see something in Asia, >and then from >Asia, we'll see re-infections in Europe," Genes said. > >The origin of the worm remained unclear. Trend Micro and >McAfee.com said >they suspect it originated in France. But Mikko Hypponen, >manager of >anti-virus research for Finland-based F-Secure, said he had his >doubts, as >the first recorded infections came from the United States and >South Africa. > >Hypponen also said he thought it suspicious that some of the >victims were >ICQ instant messenger and Internet Relay Chat users. "It's most >likely >written by a teenager targeting other teenagers," he said. Betty Lou Riley Admin: OHAdams, KYLewis, Kirkendall, McGovney, Murr, Rideout, Ridout, Wildbirds, & Butterflies Mailing Lists CC: OHAdams, KYLewis CA: OHAdams, KYLewis, & KYGreenup