WORM EPIDEMIC

2009-05-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

A worm virus has one function and one function only – to cripple or completely destroy your computer system. A worm virus is malicious software program that has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace. While a worm has the ability to multiply at a rapid pace, a Trojan Horse (also a malicious software program) cannot reproduce or self-replicate. Both malicious software programs (malware) can damage your computer. In order to get rid of a worm or other malicious software such as a Trojan Horse, it is important to understand the effects Trojans and worm viruses can have on your computer.

About Trojans and Worms

“Trojan” and “worm” are not exactly the same thing, although many people believe that they are. True, Trojans and worms are both malicious software programs (malware) that can damage your computer. And in some cases, they can damage your computer beyond repair. Another similarity is that Trojans and worms can be removed from your computer using a “worm removal tool.” The key to Trojan and worm removal, however, is to have a clear understanding of the differences between the two.

A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” will present itself as a helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will wreak havoc on your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

A Trojan Horse may sound less severe, but it can still cause damage to your computer. A Trojan or “Trojan Horse” is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It will present itself as helpful program, but once you install it on your computer, it will wreak havoc on your system almost immediately. A Trojan Horse may appear in the form of a file or software program that has been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan Horse will install and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators looking to steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. As stated earlier, Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate and infect other files.

To get rid of malicious software there are a number of free worm removal software downloads available on the web. The problem is that you have to make sure that the download is from a trusted source. If you are running Windows, stick with Microsoft software downloads. Microsoft offers its “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool” free of charge for its Windows operating system. The great thing about this free worm removal tool is that it updates once a month and reports if malicious software is found.

Other malicious software and worm removal tools include: Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus. These software programs are not free. It is important to note that while the Microsoft Software Removal Tool helps remove infections, it does not prevent them. If you want added security, it’s best to install Norton or McAfee as well.

About Web Worms

There are two types of web worms: Trojans and Internet worms. Trojans and Internet worms are malicious software programs. Also called “malware,” Trojans and Internet worms can cause damage to your computer and in some cases, these malicious software programs can damage your computer beyond repair. The good news is, most web worms can be safely removed from your computer using a “free web worm remover.” Before we discuss the free worm remover options, please continue reading to learn the differences between Trojans and Internet worms.

A Trojan, also called “Trojan Horse,” will present itself as a helpful program, but once installed on your computer, it will wreak havoc on your system almost immediately. Trojans may appear in the form of files or software programs that have been sent from a legitimate source. The Trojan will install itself and a number of things can happen. Some Trojans will simply rearrange your desktop or add annoying icons to your desktop and others will delete entire files. Some of the more advanced Trojans can open the door to predators will steal your identity. These types of Trojans can give users unlimited access to your system. Trojans do not reproduce or replicate. Worms, on the other hand, can reproduce, self-replicate, and infect other files.

Internet worms are a sub-class of viruses. They can spread from computer to computer, travel across networks and copy your address book and send them out to everyone in it. Worms can freeze or disable entire servers. Some of the most sophisticated Internet worms can actually tunnel into your computer and give users remote access to your computer. One of the most notorious of these is the Blaster Worm. The Blaster Worm, created in part by an 18-year-old kid from Minnesota back in 2003, spread on computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000. The worm was also “Lovsan” and “Lovesan.”

THE SOBER WORM

The Sober worm is a highly-damaging mass-mailing email worm (self-replicating computer program) that spreads by emailing itself to all addresses in a user’s email address book, for which the Sober worm uses its own on-board SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) engine.

The Sober worm was first discovered on October 24, 2003, with new strands of the Sober worm resurfacing during 2004 and 2005. The last big outbreak happened on November 21st, 2005, with the Sober X worm disguised as an email from various United States government agencies, including the FBI.

Once the attachment is opened, the worm disables all anti-virus systems and acts as spyware (stealing and transmitting personal information). It also creates entries and copies itself in the system directory. Upon opening the attachment, the worm may display a message box that reads “No viruses, trojans, or spyware found! Status: Ok.” Once installed and run, the worm may also show a fake error message that reads “Error in packed header.” Both of these tricks are used to persuade users that no problem exists with the attachment. But in reality, the Sober worm consumes network bandwith, displays fake error messages when programs are opened, terminates antiviruses and other security systems, and creates false registry entries in the computer.

The Sober worm sends itself with different subject names in either English or German (examples include, but are not limited to,”New internet virus!,” “You have sent me a virus!,” “Re: Contact,” and “Sorry, I’ve become your mail, and I’ve become your mail!”).

The attachment names may be any of the following, or something else: anti_virusdoc.pif, Anti-Sob.bat, AntiTrojan.exe, anti-trojan.exe, AntiVirusDoc.pif, Bild.scr, Check-Patch.bat, check-patch.bat, CM-Recover.com, Funny.scr, Hengst.pif, Liebe.com, little-scr.scr, love.com, Mausi.scr, nacked.com, NackiDei.com, NAV.pif, Odin_Worm.exe, perversion.scr, Perversionen.scr, pic.scr, playme.exe, potency.pif, Privat.exe, Removal-Tool.exe, removal-tool.exe , robot_mail.scr, robot_mailer.pif, RobotMailer.com, schnitzel.exe, screen_doc.scr, Screen_Doku.scr, or security.pif.

A new form of the Sober worm was set to attack the Internet on January 6th, 2006, but fortunately the hype created by security software companies prevented major problems.