Feds Working to Stop Worms

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Friday January 31, 2003 @02:36AM from the information-superhighway-patrol dept.

mbenzi writes "This article from GovExec describes how the feds worked to prevent a worm that could have been orders of magnitude worse than Code Red. Short on details, but an interesting timeline."

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AUGHH! buzzword compliant! by Maeryk · 2003-01-31 02:42 · Score: 4, Insightful

"some of the most brilliant hackers in the world"?

SInce when are Skript Kiddeez brilliant hackers?

This article is stupefyingly filled with crap.. the whole alliterative narrative to make a "worm" into something more than a program is scary. "Clones" rather than "copies" "larva" rather than "small". "zombies" "Slither" "poisonous venom".

Ye ghods.. is this a tech article, or color text for a M:TG card?

maeryk

--
Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
This is Microsoft's Job by jblaze · 2003-01-31 02:50 · Score: 5, Insightful

Why are we paying to have the government fix Microsoft's bugs?
"Mmmmm Propaganda Articles" - H. Simpson by Dolemite_the_Wiz · 2003-01-31 02:56 · Score: 5, Insightful

Is is me or does this article read like the cross between a propaganda article, a typical narrative from a Batman TV episode ("Will our heros be able to complete the task? Stay Tuned Bat-Fans!!!"), and a recruitment Ad for the FBI, CIA, or any of the Armed forces?

Dolemite

--
Save the World! Use a Quote!
Fiction writing contest? by TheConfusedOne · 2003-01-31 03:00 · Score: 4, Insightful

Ye gads that was horrible. This has to be my favorite bit of hyperbole:
Worms were the most vicious new beasts to stalk the Internet.

I think Morris would have a few words of disagreement about that.

So, we have a section: Early July.

Then the next section: Second Week of July which starts
Weeks passed.

And, to top it all off we go over to McAfee and search and get the following:
Search Results
We found no records matching the following criteria:
Virus name containing "leaves".

This has to be BS of the first and worst order.

--
--- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.
Re:Who the heck wrote this? by Entrope · 2003-01-31 03:15 · Score: 4, Insightful

You think it is a laugh. People who spend 10 or 20 hours a week (of their spare time, more often than not) tracking down these viruses and the criminals behind them probably disagree.

One of the largest IRC networks was recently humbled by attacks from worm-infected computers. Every other large IRC network deals with several new infections each week. It is only because the script kiddies (mostly) restrain their attacks to IRC, and because IRC admins go to great lengths to fight the worms, that more damage is not done by infected computers.

IRC networks are particularly easy targets, since each server is usually run by separate person or company, and the FBI is not interested in investigating cases unless $5,000 of damages can be claimed by one group -- never mind if there are one or two thousand infected computers that could be wiped out by a malicious kiddie. If the criminals get better at hiding their tracks or their commands, they may become more brazen and attack bigger targets.

Personally, I am glad that somebody in law enforcement is taking active steps to investigate and shut down these worms. They can actually punish the criminals behind the attacks. Private parties can, at most, disperse the botnet or terminate the attacker's account.