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MyDoom worm latest to hit UH

E-mail spreads the worm, which targets a software company

Cougar News Staff

The MyDoom computer worm hit UH on Monday, part of what is reported to be an attack on the Web site of a software maker.

The worm, also called Novarg or Shimgapi, is released when recipients of an e-mail message open an attached file. It is designed to allow attackers to use infected computers to help bring down the Web site of SCO Group Inc., a manager at Symantec Corp. told the Reuters news service.

SCO is suing IBM over the use of code from the Linux operating system, claiming Linux contains copyrighted portions of code from the Unix operating system. That lawsuit has apparently angered some Linux users to the point of retaliation.

The worm arrives in e-mails with subject lines including "test," "status" and "hi." The body of the e-mail may refer to Unicode characters or 7-bit ASCII encoding. Once it is sent to a computer, the worm takes e-mail addresses from the computeris e-mail boxes and uses them to proliferate.

The worm is also making its way to peopleis computers through peer-to-peer file-sharing programs, where it may be downloaded and then shared with other users.

Analysts believe MyDoom is programmed to launch its attack on the SCO site Sunday.

The worm is the latest in a series of more complex and dangerous computer viruses, said Gary Chelette, a systems analyst for UH Technology Support Systems.

"Itis really hard to try to keep up with these," Chelette said. "Virus writers used to do it for fun, for bragging rights; now they do it for cash."

He said viruses can be programmed to harvest e-mail addresses which can then be sold to "spammers," people who send unsolicited e-mail advertisements. They can also be used to gather usersi personal information, which can be sold to identity thieves.

And, Chelette said, itis getting more difficult to stop the worms and viruses. "These programs are smart. They have the capability to morph, to change, to grow," he said.

McAfee, which provides anti-virus software to the University, issued an update to protect against MyDoom. The software and information on the update are available at www.uh.edu/infotech.

Chelette said installing anti-virus software and keeping it updated is essential to fighting off computer worms and viruses, but so is diligence. He said e-mail users should not accept attachments from people they donit know — or from people they know if the attachment isnit expected.
 

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