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Worry Watch -- Worms in the Macintosh
Saturday, February 25, 2006

Hackers will often attack the most popular programs and platforms to cause maximum damage. With several recent exploitations of Apple's Mac OS X operating system, that may mean that it is no longer just a scary world for Windows users.

 
 

WEEKLY REPORTS

Solutions, Prevention & Remedies

Top 10 Threats

   
 

Oomp.A is a worm that spreads by sending itself to an infected Mac user's iChat contacts in a file called "latestpics.tgz." Once run, the file replaces several Mac system applications with copies of itself, causing errors when the original program is run.

Inqtana.A is another worm affecting computers running Mac OS X systems that have Bluetooth wireless connectivity. It reaches the Mac wirelessly, copying three files onto the system, planting and running rogue program files there.

The worms have not caused major damage, affecting only a handful of users before the threats could be neutralized by Anti-virus companies and security patches. It is recommended that Mac users keep their firewalls and virus protection up to date.


Worry Watch Plus Online only:

Information, Protection and Prevention -- More About Oomp.A and Inqtana.A
Panda's Oomp.A Definition

Panda's Inqtana.A Definition

Apple


Latest Security Updates:

Anti-Spyware Product

Latest update

Download Site

Ad-Aware SE

SE1R93 22..02.2006 (Definitions updated February 22, 2006)

Download

Spybot Search and Destroy

Version 1.4 Update 2006-02-17 (Definitions updated February 17, 2006)

Download

Go back

* Reading: Solutions, Prevention & Remedies
Additional summary information related to a specific type of solution or prevention that you should be considering. Depending upon the week, this section may have:
• Recent Windows security releases from Microsoft
• Recent updates to widely used anti-spyware programs
• Recent updates to widely used anti-virus programs
• Recent updates to other security programs & devices (ex: Firewalls, routers)
• Recent updates to various applications in wide use


Top 10 Threats:

Name

Type

Affects

Alert Level

Sdbot.ftp

Worm

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP

Low

Netsky.P

Worm

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*

Medium

Metafile

Trojan

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*

Low

Torpig.AE

Trojan

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP, 3.X*

Low

Sober.AH

Worm

Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP

Low

Tearec.A

Worm

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP

Low

Bagle.GS

Worm

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP*

Low

Gaobot.gen

Worm

Windows 2000, NT, XP*

Low

Alcan.worm

Worm

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP

Low

Qhost.gen

Trojan

Windows 2000, NT, XP*

Low

Go back

Read: Top Threats
These are viruses that are currently on the watch lists of major anti-virus software companies.

Name
What the threat is called. We use the name given each virus by Panda Software. Sometimes other anti-virus companies give the same threat a different name. Usually they use similar names.

Type
There are different characteristics associated with different types of threats.
• Virus - has the ability to replicate or infect computers or other programs
• Trojan Horse (or Trojan) - appear to be harmless programs when you get them. They unleash their payload when you double-click, open, or execute them.
• Phishing - a Web site or e-maill message posing as another company - usually one you know to fool you into giving the sender personal information.
• Worm - self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks
• Spyware - installs on your system to collect information about your activity, preferences or interests
• Hoax - false messages sent by e-maill to mislead the recipient
• Backdoors - opens a security hole that allows outsiders to take control of your computer
• Dialer - uses your telephone to dial an outside number - sometimes a number that costs you money when dialed

Affects
Not all viruses affect all types of systems. Some, for example may affect only Windows 98 and 95, but not Windows XP or NT. Others affect all Windows systems, but not Macintosh. In this column, we show you the consumer systems that the threat is known to affect. We don't always include the servers that operate in your company's backroom.

Alert level
The level of awareness that anti-virus vendors suggest you need to have for each threat listed.
For each threat listed, we'll post a corresponding link here, so you can get more information to help you recognize, diagnose, prevent, and repair the problem.

First published on February 25, 2006 at 12:00 am
Worry Watch is compiled by David Radin & Jes Scherder using data and reports from Microsoft, CERT, Panda, and other sources. To contact the compilers of Worry Watch, go to http://www.megabyteminute.com/contactdavid.html.