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Thread: IT Security Pro Fears Stronger, Super Worms Coming

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    IT Security Pro Fears Stronger, Super Worms Coming

    The threat from malicious Internet worms is about to explode exponentially, a security expert said Thursday as he predicted release of an especially menacing "super worm" in the near future.

    The next generation of mass-mailed worms will be even more dangerous than the current malware that plagues corporations and consumers, Chasin warned. Instead of relying on embedded SMTP engines to propagate from one machine to another, the newest threats will use their own peer-to-peer networking technology to not only proliferate but also to communicate with systems infected with other worms, creating a so-called "super worm" that could continue to mutate almost indefinitely.
    Full article here:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...c_cmp/18902844

    Scary.

    Jinxy

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    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
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    Interesting article and I think I've seen some activity of Phatbot around the campus but I do have one question: haven't they been saying for the last few years that the threat of malicious virus/worm is going to "explode exponentially"? I could have sworn I've seen this type of comment before -- quite a few times..
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    Senior Member kr5kernel's Avatar
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    It's like the bigone is coming....watch out california, all your computers are going to fall into the ocean. What they don't report on is how far companies like CA, Symantec, and CERT have come in tracking these things so that people can be prepared. But it still is scary.
    kr5kernel
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    I would think that the threat of virus/worms has indead," exploded exponentially over the last few years". The part i found intersesting is:

    Put a number of P2P worms together, though, and give them the capability of talking to one another, and the danger escalates dramatically, as an ¼ber network of hundreds of thousands of infected machines is created.
    But then the press do like to sensationalise.


    Jinxy

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    Senior Member kr5kernel's Avatar
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    MsMittens - I have some poptarts and bottled water have been stocking up on since Y2K for just such a explosive virus event. Let me know when to start distributing them to AO members.. ;-)
    kr5kernel
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    Linux: Making Penguins Cool Since 1994.

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    I'd rather be fishing DjM's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by MsMittens
    Interesting article and I think I've seen some activity of Phatbot around the campus but I do have one question: haven't they been saying for the last few years that the threat of malicious virus/worm is going to "explode exponentially"? I could have sworn I've seen this type of comment before -- quite a few times..
    I believe this happens every time a successful virus makes the rounds. Look at the success of the Beagle & Netsky family. I believe the AV Companies were saying, "wait till you see what's next" . Virus writers appear to learn as a successful virus hits the net, they take little pieces of it and add even more malicious code to it. It just gets bigger & bigger.

    Cheers:
    DjM

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    DjM, you are quite right. But nearly all new pc's for some time now have come with AV/Firewall pre-installed. That fact has got to have impacted possetivly in reducing the effectivness of virus worm propergation. Just think how much damage could have been wreaked if defence against this was left entirely to the user.


    Jinxy
    What happens if a big asteroid hits the Earth? Judging from realistic simulations involving a sledge hammer and a common laboratory frog, we can assume it will be pretty bad. - Dave Barry

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    I'd rather be fishing DjM's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by jinxy
    if defence against this was left entirely to the user.
    Jinxy
    I agree Jinxy that many of the new PC's come pre-installed with AntiVirus, however the users are usually give little or no training on the product and believe that just because it's installed....I'm Safe! . In reality, they have to be shown how to update it and keep it up to date. They should also be pointed to web sites that will give them timely information on the current viruses. I don't see this happening to often

    Cheers"
    DjM

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    AO übergeek phishphreek's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by jinxy
    DjM, you are quite right. But nearly all new pc's for some time now have come with AV/Firewall pre-installed. That fact has got to have impacted possetivly in reducing the effectivness of virus worm propergation. Just think how much damage could have been wreaked if defence against this was left entirely to the user.


    Jinxy
    Yes... it may come pre-installed... however, they are mostly trial periods. 90-180 day trials.

    Many people don't renew their subscription... get infected and say. "but, I have antivirus".

    Yes... but... do you have UPDATED antivirus?

    EDIT: DjM. You got to it before me.
    Quitmzilla is a firefox extension that gives you stats on how long you have quit smoking, how much money you\'ve saved, how much you haven\'t smoked and recent milestones. Very helpful for people who quit smoking and used to smoke at their computers... Helps out with the urges.

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    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
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    Just think how much damage could have been wreaked if defence against this was left entirely to the user.
    Isn't defense being left entirely to the home user? Not too many home users have their own security admin. As pointed out in the above posts by DjM and phishphreek, what's pre-installed doesn't equate to being used. I think it gets back to a couple of attitudes that seem prevelant in the home user environment: many users don't want to understand something, they just want it to work and "I don't have anything worthwhile stealing therefore I don't need to worry about things like viruses, trojans, etc."

    FUDing (which the article above does) isn't working. Maybe we need more carrots and less sticks to get the user to do things (ie., what's in it for them).
    Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
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