Internet users are under increased risk of attack due to several new viruses that have been released onto the Internet. Currently, the viruses that Internet users need to be the most concerned with are the Blaster, Welchia, Sobig, Vybab, Beagle and Novarg (also known as MyDoom), Dumaru and Sasser viruses. These viruses are highly infective and are causing various problems for Internet users. Issues include lost connections and delays in e-mail delivery.
W32.Blackmal.E@mm is a mass-mailing worm that attempts to spread through network shares and lower security settings. On the third day of every month it attempts to rewrite files with certain extensions with custom text.
More detailed information about the Kama Sutra worm can be found at the following link:
Sasser (W32.Sasser.D.Worm)
Sasser is a worm that attempts to spread itself through a known Windows vulnerability described in the Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-011. This worm looks for vulnerable systems randomly and spreads itself when it can.
More detailed information about the Sasser worm can be found at the following link:
Beagle (W32.Beagle.K@mm)
Beagle is a worm that opens a backdoor on TCP port 2745 and uses its own SMTP engine to spread through e-mail. It also sends the attacker the port on which the backdoor listens, as well as the IP address. W32.Beagle.J@mm also attempts to spread through file-sharing networks, such as Kazaa and iMesh, by dropping itself into file share folders. Beagle is NOT sent to you by Iowa Telecom and the attachment on the e-mail should NOT be run. It is a virus, not a virus removal tool. If you have run the attachment or have become infected with Beagle, see below for the removal tool.
More detailed information about the Beagle worm can be found at the following link:
Blaster (W32.Blaster.Worm)
Blaster is a worm that is triggered when users log onto the Internet. It will cause the infected computer to disconnect from the Internet and then shut down after a certain period of time. This worm is a rather large inconvenience and has caused many problems across the Internet.
More detailed information about the Blaster worm can be found at the following links:
Welchia (W32.Welchia.Worm)
Welchia is a worm that was created to combat the Blaster worm. It was released to locate computers with the Blaster worm, remove it, and then delete itself. Although this worm was created with good intentions, it is still considered a worm and should be treated as such.
More detailed information about this worm can be found at the following links:
Sobig (W32.Sobig.F@mm)
Sobig.F is a virus that is spread through e-mail. It infects a computer with a Trojan Horse, or a back door, that allows the computer to be used by others for sending spam e-mail. This has caused extraordinary levels of e-mail traffic and has caused serious delays in the speed of e-mail delivery.
More detailed information about the Sobig virus can be found at the following links:
Vybab (W32.Vybab@mm)
Vybab is a worm that is spread through e-mail. It infects a computer and attempts to use Microsoft Outlook Express to send itself to everyone in the address book. This worm also deletes files from the computer randomly.
More detailed information about the Vybab worm can be found at the following link:
Novarg.A (W32.Novarg.A@mm)
Novarg.A is a worm that arrives as an attachment in e-mail. This is a mass e-mailing virus that sends itself to anyone it can find. Novarg.A also opens ports on a system which may allow intruders to access network resources or execute files.
More detailed information about the Novarg.A worm can be found at the following link:
Dumaru (W32.Dumaru@mm)
Dumaru is a worm that opens a backdoor, runs a key logger, and attempts to steal personal information. This virus spreads itself using its own mail server abilities.
More detailed information about the Blaster worm can be found at the following links:
Anti-Virus Software
It is highly recommended that Internet users run a virus scanner regularly. There are several options available. It is personal preference as to which one you choose to run. Three examples can be found at the following links:
After installing anti-virus software, it is very important to keep it updated as new viruses are released every day. Most anti-virus software will let you know when it needs to be updated. Up-to-date virus definitions give your anti-virus software a better chance of finding and removing viruses from your computer before they cause damage to your system.
Virus Removal Tools
If you have already contracted one of the viruses listed here you can remove them. Symantec has released removal tools for the three viruses listed above. These tools can be found at the following links:
Microsoft Windows Update
Another important part of computer maintenance is keeping the version of Microsoft Windows you are running current. The Windows Update section of Microsoft's website will help you do just that. You can get there from the following link:
