[Pro-Bush]

Hmmm. This could get interesting. Who would want to halt world commerce?

[lelio]

show signs of a coordinated attack by an entity wanting to disrupt world commerce

Its disrupting world commerce alright, Microsoft's share of it. People should wake up and realize that MSFT is the world's biggest virus petri dish maker.

[Peace will be here soon]

Maybe it is the wake-up call everyone needs. If more people and companies would pay closer attention to protecting their systems, this kind of stuff wouldn`t happen for the most part.

[LibKill]

It's probably some bored geek kids with WAY too much time on their hands. Of course, they should be shot when caught. There is no excuse for this kind of vandalism.

[goodseedhomeschool (returned)]

Terrorists was my first thoughts on this. I had over 118 sobig spams in my email this morning. Clogged everything. It really makes you stop and think about some very important computer systems and how it would effect those. Shuddering here....

[Dog Gone]

Who would want to halt world commerce?

Has anyone investigated whether Nancy Pelosi knows how to create viruses?

[glorgau]

And it wasn't terrorism before 9/11?

MS operating systems are hit by the most viri because they are the easiest thing to hit. The technical sophistication of the latest MSBlaster virus was childish. The idea of having executables attached to email in Outlook and Outlook Express is downright stupid. MS could have cleared much of their vunerability if they didn't want to leave "hooks" in their applications. The "hooks" are their so they can screw over any possible competitors. this is well documented behavior since the DR-DOS, Lotus 1-2-3 days. To say that this is "terrorism" is nothing more than the opportunistic ramblings of some marketing droid. Can we all say FUD?

< rant >
It is just pathetic what most moron users will accept in the computing world. People work with the melange that is a Microsoft operating system and think that is the way the world must be.
< /rant >

[rivercat]

Who would want to halt world commerce?

Well, aside from Al Qaida, how about the Linux open-source crowd? :)

[MizSterious]

Makes ya go "hmmmmm...."

[ex-Texan]

*BUMP* !

[snooker]

The terrorists put the holes in crappy windoze then exploited them to disrupt the economy.

I knew it wasn't the software designers fault or duty to build a decent secure product.

[MattAMiller]

Usually when one of these viri (See? I'm edumacated) comes around I might get one or two in my inbox. But this time I've gotten about a dozen. That sucker's virulent.

[Dubya]

bump

[TheBattman]

Microsoft working with the feds; Virus attacks may be terrorism

Or it could just be that Windows code is just so easy and full of loopholes that it makes for a convenient target.....Especially when you consider that people have been writing viruses and worms for many years - long before our concerns turned to much towards terrorism.

The fact of the matter is, you write an OS with lots of wide open back doors and screwy code, and someone will find a way to exploit that hole...

[Constitutional Patriot]

Cuba? North Korea? The DNC?

[HP8753]

It could also be anti-virus software writers trying to keep their own economies humming along..... ;-0

[martin_fierro]

FREE PC PROTECTION: Spyware removers: Spybot S&D AdAware Bayden Systems Popup Popper: Blocks popup ads well in MSIE MailWasher: Good for pre-screening & bouncing SPAM AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: Free anti-viral protection Windows Update: At least install the critical ones ZoneAlarm: Excellent Firewall Alternative browsers: Mozilla Opera

[aruanan]

The other interesting thing is, "Hi, we're used by 90% of all home and corporate desktop computers in the world. We've consistently provided you with all the flaws needed to keep worm and virus makers busy making your lives and businesses hell." How much time and money have been lost worldwide by the richest software company in the world not wanting to use some of that money to produce a non-defective product?

[thinking]

omputer worm virus traced to source in B.C.

Peter Morton, Washington Bureau Chief
National Post, with files from Bloomberg News

Saturday, August 23, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT

WASHINGTON - The FBI and U.S. Homeland Security investigators appeared last night to have largely shut down a computer virus attack that may have originated with a computer in British Columbia.

Worried the so-called "Sobig" worm may have been programmed to attack key computer networks yesterday afternoon, U.S. and Canadian officials managed to shut down 19 of the 20 computers thought to have been targeted.

The latest version of Sobig, called Sobig.F, was apparently disguised as a pornographic picture which, when opened, attached itself to e-mail address books. It would have begun sending millions of junk e-mail, causing havoc on corporate and home computer systems.

Sobig has infected networks of FedEx Corp., Starbucks Corp. and AOL Time Warner Inc., and the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The New York Times Co. said computers at its offices in New York City ''experienced difficulties'' shortly after noon yesterday. The company would not say for certain Sobig was the cause.

Investigators suspect the latest and extremely sophisticated version of Sobig may have been launched unwittingly from a B.C. home computer that had been taken over by the virus.

It was traced through an Internet provider in Phoenix, which, according to reports, is co-operating with police after being served with a grand jury subpoena.

The FBI would not confirm details last night of the investigation, except to say it was doing what was necessary to find out how the virus operates and who sent it. "The FBI will use all the necessary means allowed by law to determine the author of this virus and bring him or her to justice," said Bill Murray, of the FBI's cyber division.

Sources said the person who unleashed the latest version of Sobig used the Phoenix-based Easynews.com account, apparently paid for with a stolen credit card and established minutes before the virus was released on the Internet on Monday.

The account appears to have been established from a computer in British Columbia that belongs to an unwitting home user, whose computer seems to be infected by a previous version of the virus.

U.S. and Canadian law enforcement officials, working with the computer security community yesterday, were successful in shutting down 19 out of the 20 computers that were to deliver further instructions to other Sobig-infected computers.

Sobig.F has become one of the most widespread viruses on record, choking corporate e-mail networks and jamming many home users' inboxes with as many as 100 million e-mails.

It will try to do the same thing every Friday and Sunday until it expires on Sept. 10, Stephen Trilling, senior director at Symantec Security Response, said on a conference call.

pmorton@nationalpost.com
© Copyright 2003 National Post

[PatrioticAmerican]

The feds have a hammer that bashes terrorists, so everything now looks like a nail.

[SSN558]

Industry sources citing Microsoft officials told World Tribune.com that recent attacks against from the "Blaster" worm and its variants, coupled with an email virus called "SoBig-F" show signs of a coordinated attack by an entity wanting to disrupt world commerce. Microsoft is cooperating with both the FBI and the Secret Service and will report their findings in the next few days.

Translation: As we all know the computer attacks are being waged by a pimply faced 13 year old, bored with summer vacation. Meanwhile, Bill Gates is getting free software consulting services from the FBI and SS, to patch up his buggy half tested product.