8/9/2019 IT World Getting Used to Viruses, Jan. 29, 2004

1/2

IT ~ o r l d gettingused tovirusesBy Kelly DavisInclepewJentMall\Vanr hiuh computer securi-t" \ ; ' )'J 'Unplug your desktop, put itin a big box, pour in some concrete and drop i t in the middleof the Pacific Ocean.

That is the advice ofClemson University adjunctprofessor and ComputerScience Lab AdministratorJay Harris days into yetanother viral storm sendingwaves of infected e-mailscrashing into computer systems across the nation.Clemson mail serversblocked more than 100,000 e-mails a day since the newvirus, dubbed "Mydoom" or"Novarg", began co-optingcomputer address books andsending itself to networkedcomputers with Windows operating system software,university e-mail postmasterBarbara Bergman said."We expect similar numbers all week ," she said.Each blocked message mayhave had been headed to multiple recipients, so many morecomputers were potential targets.

To put the influx in perspective, the university normallygets between 3 million and 4million e-mail messages a day,Ms. Bergman said. TheMydoom virus hit theClemson network about ashard as other "successful"viruses that began appearinglast year, she said."It's caused an impact, butwe 're adapting," she said."Universities in general aremore apt to get spammed byviruses because our addressesare very active on theInternet.';Students in general are notwell versed in software patches and updates, Mr. Harrissaid."It's the attitude of, 'I f it'sworking, don't fix it,' " hesaid. "Unless they get hit andtypically wind up havingsome problems, students tendto leave these alone until it'stoo late."That lack of vigilance iscommon in home users, too,who increasingly have fastand always-on DSL and cablemodem Internet connectionshackers love to exploit.Computers' "social habits"are increasingly mirroringbiological systems, and viralactivity and protection isbecoming eerily reminiscentof the public health realm.The main effect of this viraloutbreak at Clemson has beenslower services as the mailPlease see IT, Page 7A

8/9/2019 IT World Getting Used to Viruses, Jan. 29, 2004

2/2

IT worldgettingused tovirusesFrom Page lAservers work to block incomingmessages in which antivirussoftware has detected the viralcode."We continue to warn peoplenot to open unknown attachments, run strong virus protection and update their rlcfinitions daily.' Ms. Bergman said.The definition s an' nIt's antivirus software companies distribute to allow their softwareon individual computers to recognize specific viruses, muchas real vaccines use dead, weakened or dismantled viruses orbacteria to teach the immunesystem what those microbeslook like.Mr. Harris also recommendspersonal "firewall" softwarethat monitors incoming andoutgoing data on connectedcomputers for viruslike activity The realworld equivalentmight be covering your mouthwhen you sneeze.Or, "it's just like dressing forthe winter," Mr. Harris said."You're mother tells you to puton layers. If I have the antivirus (software), I still want thefirewall to protect against otherthings.""Mydoom" is not a particularly novel virus or dangerousto personal computers, but it issly because instead of promising scintillating photos or amessage from a fril'nct. it usestechnical jargon to explain thepresence of a malicious attachment, said Seneca based computer security consultant RussKelly. One message seen withthe virus is, "This message contains Unicode characters andhas been sent as a binarvattachment." v

Fortunately, "it c10esn '( doany damage except bouncing email back and forth. " he said.But large organizations cannot afford to assume thf' nextvirus will be so benign.AnMecl Health NetworkServices Manager CherryCroker sa id her c1epartmentnow spends on the order of$50,000 a year, not includingstaff time, on software updates,subscriptions to antiviruscompanies and other activitiesrelated to safeguarding more. , . . , 1 )()