[gardeners] VIRUS INFO - Joke Virus Spreads Fast, Clogs Servers

Karen Felt (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 9 Oct 2000 10:48:13 -0700 

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Joke Virus Spreads Fast, Clogs Servers | Computerworld News & Features
StoryIt's a worm that simply duplicates inself and clogs servers, without
damaging files or corrupting data...


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      Joke Virus Spreads Fast, Clogs Servers

      Bug is bothersome but benign, experts say

      By JAIKUMAR VIJAYAN
      (June 26, 2000) An e-mail virus disguised as a text file attachment
spread widely across the Internet last week.
      The worm - which arrives as a joke about the stages of male and female
life and comes with many subject headers, including "Funny" and
"Life-Stages" - could cause e-mail servers to become clogged because of its
ability to quickly copy itself to others via Microsoft Corp.'s Outlook
e-mail client once it's launched, antivirus experts warned.

      But initial research shows that the worm, called Life-Stages.txt.shs,
doesn't damage any files or corrupt data, antivirus experts said.

      "It is similar to the love letter (virus) in the way it sends itself
out to everyone in your e-mail address book," said Patrick Martin, a product
manager at antivirus software vendor Symantec Corp. in Cupertino, Calif.,
referring to the recent "I Love You" bug.

      "The real risk this one poses is e-mail flooding," Martin said. In an
assessment of the worm posted on its Web site, Symantec described damage
from the worm as low, its distribution in the wild as high and the ability
of systems administrators to contain the bug as relatively good.

      "This one is relatively benign in that its main focus is to send
itself to other people," said Piers McMahon, a business manager at Computer
Associates International Inc. in Islandia, N.Y. "But at the same time, it
can quickly clog up corporate networks with useless e-mail if it is allowed
to propagate."

      Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University's Computer Emergency
Response Team (CERT), which posted an alert on the worm, claimed that it had
reports of individual users receiving as many as 30 copies of the bug. Some
large sites reported as many as 120,000 copies passing through a single
server, CERT said.


      Other recent stories by Jaikumar Vijayan







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Joke Virus Spreads Fast, Clogs Servers | = Computerworld News & Features Story
It's a worm that = simply=20 duplicates inself and clogs servers, without damaging files or = corrupting=20 data...
 
Network Search = Sites Services ITcareers

Search  =20 Advanced=20 Search  |   Contacts =20
News & Features | Resources/Research | Careers | Communities | Subscriptions | Media Center =
=20
Headlines | = Biz Stories | = Tech Stories | = Emerging Companies |=20 QuickStudy | = Columnists | = This Week in=20 Print | CW=20 Minute
News & Features  >  Columnists=20  >  This Week in=20 Print

NEWS
= Latest = Headlines
Business = Headlines
Tech = Headlines
This Week in = Print
• Table of Contents
CW Audio = Minute

FEATURES
Field Report
Emerging = Companies
Quickstudies
Executive = Technology

OPINIONS
CW Columnists
Forums
Shark Tank

PUBLICATIONS
Supplements
White Papers
Surveys & = Reports
Joke Virus Spreads Fast, Clogs Servers=20

Bug is bothersome but benign, experts=20 say

By JAIKUMAR = VIJAYAN=20
(June 26, 2000) An = e-mail virus=20 disguised as a text file attachment spread widely across the = Internet last=20 week.=20

The worm - which arrives as a joke about the stages of male and = female=20 life and comes with many subject headers, including "Funny" and=20 "Life-Stages" - could cause e-mail servers to become clogged = because of=20 its ability to quickly copy itself to others via Microsoft Corp.'s = Outlook=20 e-mail client once it's launched, antivirus experts warned.=20

But initial research shows that the worm, called = Life-Stages.txt.shs,=20 doesn't damage any files or corrupt data, antivirus experts said.=20

"It is similar to the love letter (virus) in the way it sends = itself=20 out to everyone in your e-mail address book," said Patrick Martin, = a=20 product manager at antivirus software vendor Symantec Corp. in = Cupertino,=20 Calif., referring to the recent "I Love You" bug.=20

"The real risk this one poses is e-mail flooding," Martin said. = In an=20 assessment of the worm posted on its Web site, Symantec described = damage=20 from the worm as low, its distribution in the wild as high and the = ability=20 of systems administrators to contain the bug as relatively good.=20

"This one is relatively benign in that its main focus is to = send itself=20 to other people," said Piers McMahon, a business manager at = Computer=20 Associates International Inc. in Islandia, N.Y. "But at the same = time, it=20 can quickly clog up corporate networks with useless e-mail if it = is=20 allowed to propagate."=20

Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University's Computer = Emergency=20 Response Team (CERT), which posted an alert on the worm, claimed = that it=20 had reports of individual users receiving as many as 30 copies of = the bug.=20 Some large sites reported as many as 120,000 copies passing = through a=20 single server, CERT said.

Other recent stories by Jaikumar = Vijayan=20







Send
feedback=20

Printer
friendly = 		=

E-mail
this page =

Request
a reprint =


ADVERTISEMENT



MORE ON THIS=20 TOPIC
Senate committee OKs revised antihacking=20 law


Government error exposes Carnivore = investigators; ACLU=20 blasts team for close ties to = administration


A closer look at the e-signatures=20 law


Papows to head Internet start-up=20 Maptuit


Ellison urges single configuration for = Oracle 9i=20 server


Computer Associates expects better news in = Q2 results=20


Privacy concerns extend beyond online=20 transactions


Privacy group critical of first release of = Carnivore=20 data


Microsoft invests $135M in former rival=20 Corel


E-businesses struggle to rally troops for=20 growth



Help Desk |=20 Site=20 Guide | Send Us=20 E-mail | Privacy=20 Policy =
Copyright = =A9 2000=20 Computerworld, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or = in part=20 in any form or medium without express written permission = of=20 Computerworld, Inc. is prohibited. Computerworld and = @Computerworld and=20 the respective logos are trademarks of International Data Group,=20 Inc.


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