The computer Storm worm is getting out of hand
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
August 5, 2007 10:32am CST
It's actually not a computer worm, but "a bot, used to corral infected computers together into a network called a botnet , which can then be issued commands by a central criminal controller. One common command is to send vast amounts of spam." The article said it can send out billions of emails a day with no effort, and that it could "comprise anywhere from 250,000 to 1 million infected computers. These attacks aim to overwhelm a Web site or Internet server by sending it a constant stream of garbage data at a particular Web site or Internet server." Wow. They think the inventor of this is gearing up for a big attack. But, if you are the type of person who knows not to open unknown email attachments, you are probably safe! Here's the link for the article.
http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/005053.html
4 people like this
10 responses
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
5 Aug 07
That is very scary! I hope that doesn't happen to me, but currently my computer is infected with something. It keeps popping up screens trying to sell virus software to cure the virus that they put on my computer. I am so mad I could spit nails!
1 person likes this
@procezx (76)
• India
5 Aug 07
Just do one thing Mamasan download "Spyware Terminator" from and install it run a scan and you will be given out a list of what kind of the pop is that. This software scans and puts some better list with ample details about what kind of malware is that and how it associates with your file system. It very effective.
1 person likes this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
5 Aug 07
Hi mamasan34, what you have is called "ransomware." I suggest you run some online scanners on your computer. Here are a few decent ones:
http://www.ewido.net/en/
http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/free_security_tools/housecall_free_scan.php?WT.cg_n=home_qa_housecall
Hope this helps!
@claudia413 (4280)
• United States
5 Aug 07
I've been getting 2 or 3 emails a day from my email provider saying that they've stopped a message to me that contained the "storm worm". I'd never heard of it until I started getting those messages last week.
It's a shame that whoever thought this up can't get a legitimate job and stop hurting harmless people.
1 person likes this
@littlefranciscan (18327)
• United States
5 Aug 07
Now this is a very helpful post..which I thank you for posting..There are so many viruses that plague the net daily..! Will look into this some time this afternoon.
1 person likes this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
5 Aug 07
Thanks for that information about the Storm Worm, or "bot" as it is known esterlou, and I am sure it will be very helpful to many here. Personally, I don't open unknown email attachments, but your info should make others sit up and be aware.
1 person likes this
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
5 Aug 07
This is just one more reason why I'm glad I have Macs because we don't have to be bothered with these problems.
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
5 Aug 07
I'm sure there are Mac worms out there but I don't open emails unless I know who they are from and I don't visit a lot of sites either. I stick to my own store, here and my email. I haven't had any problems thus far. Fortunately, most hackers are more interested in creating problems for PC users because there are more to damage and they can cause more trouble. Either way, I trust God to protect my computers when I can't.
2 people like this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
6 Aug 07
Oh, I'm talking about a self-propagating worm. It spreads via IM/VoIP. You're right, your biggest advantage is the fact that we are the target, and you're not. But sometimes the protection God provides will come in a form you don't expect, such as security software.
Even if you used OpenBSD, purportedly the most secure operation system in existence, I still suggest you install antivirus, antispyware, and personal firewall. I hope your computer never does get infected, but just make sure you take a few precautionary steps to ensure this. Salute!
1 person likes this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
5 Aug 07
Actually, there are Mac worms out now, too. And your problem is actually bigger than you realize. Because of obscurity, Mac users haven't had to deal with the problems that Windows users have had to deal with, which also means there is less security software available for the Mac platform.
But now we're finding out that the Mac is less secure than Windows Vista. And there isn't much more security software available for the Mac than there is for Vista alone, because the Mac world isn't accustomed to the necessity of defending its computers. :S
1 person likes this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
5 Aug 07
Here's an article I wrote on CNET back in April, explaining how I avoid unsolicited e-mail messages, including those with infected attachments: http://reviews.cnet.com/5420-3513_7-0.html?forumID=104&messageID=2409256&threadID=222541
I am also in the process of creating a website with step-by-step instructions on locking Windows' core and making it invincible. I have all the screenshots, and the instructions are all typed out; now I just have to convert everything to HTML and put it online. It's going to be awhile, but it's coming.
1 person likes this
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
6 Aug 07
thank you for sharing, my husband and I were actually discussing those e-mail spam with attchments this morning,He is not so much into internet so I was kinda telling him not to open any attachments like those who say "free ipod for you" and etc..but I forgot to mention the "e-card" so I'll tell him about this too.
@procezx (76)
• India
5 Aug 07
I think it is a small version working methodology of P2P software that automatically search a peer, builds up network and connects to a single controller node that is meant to deploy the deadly payload. I do not know about it but it seems that I had seen its effect as some times back yahoo was loaded with mails received on advance dates that were some thousands in one week. I was amazed to see how come mails servers are so defective that they have got change their dates to future not of particular one address but of all the Bulk mails that I received. I feel its a very dangerous threat that could make system crashes on large scale.
