http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7183008.stm
Warning on stealthy Windows virus
Security experts are warning about a stealthy Windows
virus that steals login details for online bank
accounts.
In the last month, the malicious program has racked
up about 5,000 victims - most of whom are in Europe.
Many are falling victim via booby-trapped websites
that use vulnerabilities in Microsoft's browser to
install the attack code.
Experts say the virus is dangerous because it buries
itself deep inside Windows to avoid detection.
Old tricks
The malicious program is a type of virus known as a
rootkit and it tries to overwrite part of a computer's
hard drive called the Master Boot Record (MBR).
This is where a computer looks when it is switched
on for information about the operating system it will
be running.
[...]
Once installed the virus, dubbed Mebroot by Symantec,
usually downloads other malicious programs, such as
keyloggers, to do the work of stealing confidential
information.
[...]
Although the password-stealing programs that Mebroot
installs can be found by security software, few
commercial anti-virus packages currently detect its
presence. Mebroot cannot be removed while a computer
is running.
Independent security firm GMER has produced a utility
that will scan and remove the stealthy program.
Computers running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows
Server 2003 and Windows 2000 that are not fully patched
are all vulnerable to the virus.
[end excerpt]
Yipes. Again.
[1] Will Microsoft's patches work against this horror?
[2] Will Microsoft want to use this virus as an excuse to
implement Trusted Computing?
[3] Will GRUB or LILO be counted thereby as a "virus"?
[4] Can we scream loudly enough? ;-)
Stay tuned.
--
#191, ewill3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
People think that libraries are safe. They're wrong. They have ideas.
(Also occasionally ectoplasmic slime and cute librarians.)
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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