FYI - Soffie > New "Trojan Horse" Seeks to Infiltrate Computer Systems > Now that the Melissa virus and Explore.Zip worm have been plucked from > most systems, computer security companies are updating their > virus-detection software to defend against a new, corrupting "Trojan > Horse" application unleashed July 10 at a hacker convention in Las Vegas. > The hacking tool, called "BO2K," or Back Orifice 2000, was created by the > hacker group named Cult of the Dead Cow and is targeted at NT > Windows-based computer systems. > This new "backdoor" or "Trojan Horse" software program is designed to be > invisible to its victims. Unlike a virus, BO2K is not self-replicating and > must trick users into installing the program. BO2K can be introduced when > users click on an attachment to an e-mail or download software from the > Internet. > Once installed BO2K can easily be used to perform unauthorized actions > without the knowledge of the user. For example, it can delete files, > reconfigure machines, steal passwords, and redirect network traffic. Its > primary purpose is to gain unauthorized control over another machine for > reconfiguration and data collection. > "Back Orifice 2000 represents a significant threat," says Dan Schrader, > Director of Trend Micro's E-Security Division. "It is a tool specifically > designed for cyber-espionage." > Back Orifice 2000 is now widely available on the Web and its authors have > even made the source code open to the public, which increases the > likelihood that variants of the code will soon follow. > Computer security experts urge users to take the following precautions: > ... Do not open files attached to e-mails unless you know the person who > sent it to you - and why they sent it. > ... Do not accept files from Internet Chat Systems as they inherently > introduce vulnerabilities. > ... Regularly back up your data. > ... Do not download software from non-trusted sources. > © National Security Institute, Inc. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------