Mystery virus strikes FBI, U.S. Marshals

cnet ^ | May 21, 2009

[JoeProBono]

The FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service were forced to shut down parts of their computer networks after a mystery virus struck the law-enforcement agencies Thursday, according to an Associated Press report. A spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that it had disconnected from Justice Department computers as a precaution after being hit with the virus, while an FBI spokesperson would only say that it was experiencing similar issues, according to the report.

"We too are evaluating a network issue on our external, unclassified network that's affecting several government agencies," FBI spokesman Mike Kortan told the AP. The virus' type and origin are unknown, but spokespeople for both agencies said agencies' access to the Internet and e-mail was shut down while the issue was evaluated. Government regulations require agencies to report any security issues to US-Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), but a call to CERT late Thursday for comment was not immediately returned.

[blam]

Ahem, PIG virus?

[JoeProBono]

[D-fendr]

Windows. Dumb.

[HAL9000]

Your favorite operating system strikes again.

[PizzaDriver]

I’ll wager that the after-market ‘Anti-virus’ software firms, that DIDN’T get the FBI contract, won’t be offered a chance to prove that Their software would have prevented this successful attack.

[joseph20]

I think the U.S. government should develop a national operating system based upon BSD Unix.

[grey_whiskers]

*PING*.

[grey_whiskers]

*PING*.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

I wouldn’t imagine the designers of the virus aiming at the American defense establishment to make a one for Apple / Mac systems, because they know too well that the target doesn’t use them.

Why make a Phillips screwdriver for Torx® screws?

[grey_whiskers]

Why make a Phillips screwdriver for Torx® screws?

Well, you're making progress, admitting Microsoft is screwy.

[snowsislander]

There's more detail about this apparent outbreak of the "Neeris" worm in this article. Apparently the Marshals Service was using an outdated version of Trend Micro's OfficeScan to protect their computers.

[JoeProBono]

http://www.dabbledoo.com/ee/images/uploads/gadgetell/worm.jpg

[6SJ7]

I think the U.S. government should develop a national operating system based upon BSD Unix.

There is already an OS based on BSD Unix. OS X.

[driftdiver]

Amazing how bitter using the least popular OS will make someone.

[joseph20]

"There is already an OS based on BSD Unix. OS X."

Mac OS is proprietary, closed-source software. My view is that the U.S. should use the freedom of the BSD license, grab one of the *BSDs, and create its own national operating system.

[driftdiver]

So you want a ‘national’ operating system? Does everyone have to use it?

Man this country is going down hill.

[joseph20]

No, just the Federal government. You know, like the FBI and the U.S. Marshals....

[snowsislander]

Mac OS is proprietary, closed-source software. My view is that the U.S. should use the freedom of the BSD license, grab one of the *BSDs, and create its own national operating system.

Our National Security Agency has done some similar work along those lines already: Security-Enhanced Linux (more commonly called SELinux), and this work has been extended to the BSDs, such as the Trusted BSD project. (Also, for what it is worth, I believe that Apple has done work in this area for Mac OS X.)

[johncatl]

It was not clear if the malware was the cause of the network outage or if the agency took down systems to stem the spread of what was believed to be the Neeris worm, which saw a new version appear last month that copies Conficker's evil ways.The agency was running desktop malware software, but it had not been updated for more than three years even though the agency had paid for upgrades to newer versions that protect against Neeris. In addition, Microsoft has issued two patches, one in 2006 and one in October, to close holes in its software exploited by Neeris.

You can't fix stupid whether it's Unix, Windows or Mac.

Maybe I can bid on the support contract. Oh wait. I'm Old, White and Male. Never mind.