[Oremem/Idamem] First of perhaps many 9/11 viruses emerges

[Phillip Barker]

First of perhaps many 9/11 viruses emerges
Experts suspect fear-mongering as a motivation for the 'low-threat' virus

Story by Dan Verton

SEPTEMBER 04, 2003 ( COMPUTERWORLD ) - Antivirus researchers late yesterday 
discovered what is being described as the first of potentially many "9/11" 
anniversary viruses spreading on the Internet.

While it's too early to tell what, if any, damage the new virus is causing, 
Eric Kwon, president and CEO of San Jose-based Hauri Inc., the company that 
discovered the virus, said its impact seems to be similar to that caused by 
the recent outbreak of the Sobig worm, which overloaded e-mail servers with 
large volumes of spam.

The 9/11 virus contains the headline "It's Near 911" or a similar variation,

as well as an attachment labeled "911.jpg." Users should not open the e-mail

or the attached file.

"Like previous worm viruses, the 9/11 virus collects e-mail lists from
Microsoft 
Outlook in order to spread more rapidly, using the provocative headline
about 9/11 
to get the unsuspecting user to open the e-mail," said Kwon. "In this case,
there 
also appears to be an intention of causing fear, as well as a possible
political 
motivation."

Many virus experts have been expecting an outbreak of some kind of specific
9/11 
virus or worm, and this may be just the first of many to appear in the wild
during 
the next two weeks, added Kwon.

Antivirus company Symantec Corp. also identified the virus, which it called 
W32.Neroma@mm, on its Web site, saying it is a "mass-mailing worm that
attempts 
to use Microsoft Outlook to e-mail itself to all the contacts in the 
Windows Address Book."



Phil Barker / AAR0ME OR
Curry County Computer Services
Gold Beach, Oregon 97444
541.247.3370 Desk
541.253.7550 Cellphone