GO FIGURE.....
SEATTLE — The latest version of the MyDoom e-mail virus, MyDoom.M, fooled tens of thousands of computer-savvy workers into triggering a disruption that knocked Internet search sites Google, Yahoo, Lycos and AltaVista off line for several hours Monday.
MyDoom.M lured office workers facing stuffed post-weekend in-boxes into opening a folder presumably holding details about an undeliverable message. As with previous versions of the virus, that action sent copies of the virus to all e-mail addresses on the victim's hard drive.
The new twist: MyDoom.M, hunting for more e-mail addresses to spread itself to, also generated search queries to four of the largest search sites.
The deluge knocked Google off line as it is trying to look its best for an initial public offering (story, above). The FBI has opened an investigation, but so far believes the timing was coincidental. Yet, Google is preparing one of the largest tech stock offerings ever at a time when hackers and cybercrooks, by many measures, seem to be gaining the upper hand on Internet security.
In May, the Sasser Internet worm, created by a German teenager, knocked down computer systems in transportation companies, banks and hospitals. Last August, the MSBlaster worm clogged business networks, exacerbating a massive power outage that darkened the northeast USA.
Like MyDoom's author, those hackers sought to amass infected PCs and turn them into zombies to help spread other viruses. Wider collateral damage occurred "by accident," says virus researcher Mikko Hyppönen of F-Secure. "If somebody would try to do really bad things on purpose, this proves it is very possible."
Google said a small percentage of patrons were affected, and its Web site was not significantly impaired. Yahoo said a small number of users were affected. Lycos and AltaVista declined comment.
The latest virus underscores growing concern about the changing nature of hack attacks. "Viruses used to destroy data," says Bruce Townsend, deputy assistant director for investigations at the U.S. Secret Service. Now, he says, viruses are designed to filch data or "take it hostage."
Most of Google's devoted users were disappointed by the outage. Helbard Alkhassadeh, 31, who works for a human-resource agency in Santa Cruz, Calif., says work ground to a halt.
By Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY
SEATTLE — The latest version of the MyDoom e-mail virus, MyDoom.M, fooled tens of thousands of computer-savvy workers into triggering a disruption that knocked Internet search sites Google, Yahoo, Lycos and AltaVista off line for several hours Monday.
MyDoom.M lured office workers facing stuffed post-weekend in-boxes into opening a folder presumably holding details about an undeliverable message. As with previous versions of the virus, that action sent copies of the virus to all e-mail addresses on the victim's hard drive.
The new twist: MyDoom.M, hunting for more e-mail addresses to spread itself to, also generated search queries to four of the largest search sites.
The deluge knocked Google off line as it is trying to look its best for an initial public offering (story, above). The FBI has opened an investigation, but so far believes the timing was coincidental. Yet, Google is preparing one of the largest tech stock offerings ever at a time when hackers and cybercrooks, by many measures, seem to be gaining the upper hand on Internet security.
In May, the Sasser Internet worm, created by a German teenager, knocked down computer systems in transportation companies, banks and hospitals. Last August, the MSBlaster worm clogged business networks, exacerbating a massive power outage that darkened the northeast USA.
Like MyDoom's author, those hackers sought to amass infected PCs and turn them into zombies to help spread other viruses. Wider collateral damage occurred "by accident," says virus researcher Mikko Hyppönen of F-Secure. "If somebody would try to do really bad things on purpose, this proves it is very possible."
Google said a small percentage of patrons were affected, and its Web site was not significantly impaired. Yahoo said a small number of users were affected. Lycos and AltaVista declined comment.
The latest virus underscores growing concern about the changing nature of hack attacks. "Viruses used to destroy data," says Bruce Townsend, deputy assistant director for investigations at the U.S. Secret Service. Now, he says, viruses are designed to filch data or "take it hostage."
Most of Google's devoted users were disappointed by the outage. Helbard Alkhassadeh, 31, who works for a human-resource agency in Santa Cruz, Calif., says work ground to a halt.
By Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY
