Welchia I read about this in the latest issue of Scientific American, on my flight to Washington, DC. I had previously heard of the results of this worm -- but hadn't heard it's name. It was released into the wild just after the Blaster worm and the Sobig.F virus -- so while the world was busily making Blaster and Sobig.F celebrities, Welchia slipped quietly into systems. Blaster and Sobig.F were a pain. They brought down computers, affected networks and made themselves known. Welchia on the other hand, slipped in quietly and had a few profound purposes in life:
  • it forces the host computer to contact Microsoft's Windows Update website and download a patch for the very hole it exploits (incidentally, the Blaster worm also exploits the same hole)
  • it scans the host computer for the Blaster worm and removes it
  • it scans the local network, and attempts to procreate
  • It contains code that will delete itself on January 1, 2004
  • It installs a small file transfer server on the host.
    • The last bullet points to Welchia's nefarious intentions. While it appears to be a good worm, it leaves a backdoor entry for its creator. The SciAm article raises some interesting ideas -- it contends that worms are evolving to the point where they're starting to compete against one another for host systems. The article also suggests that this may be a way of combatting future malcode exploits -- creating similar code to search and destroy malicious code running rampant on the net. Pretty cool idea -- and quite Matrix-like!

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Of Movies ...

    Some movies that I have an interest in this month -- I will not get to them all. X-Men III: The Last Stand -- 'nuff said! No Logo - Brands, Globalization & Resistance -- based on the book of the same title, this movie is playing at the Bloor Cinema on June 29 & 30. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days -- the story of Germany's most famous anti-Nazi heroine , who, as part of the White Rose, was dedicated to the downfall of the Third Reich. The movie plays at the Bloor Cinema from June 25-27. Thank You For Smoking -- playing at the Bloor Cinema from June 23-37. Tsotsi -- a look at life in the ghettos outside of present-day Johannesburg, South Africa, through Tsotsi, a young thug. There is redemption for Tsotsi, and the film won the 2006 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It plays at the Bloor Cinema on June 14 & 16. Why We Fight -- a documentary that explores why America goes to war and the role of the military-industrial complex. This played today at the ...
    Read more

    Of Movies

    South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut -- This is one hilarious movie -- but boy is it rude. It's rude beyond the point of being offensive. The movie takes the good taste filter off and amuses with humour that simulate the juvenile in us. Every now and again though, that little kid in us needs to be amused -- and this movie will certainly do that. If you're offended by the movie, it's because the adult in you is watching. The Brothers Grimm -- This was an OK fantasy movie, moving at a good pace, with the appropriate level of action and humour. The special effects were well done -- and so was the cinematography. If you missed it in the theatre, you didn't miss much however. You can catch it on DVD. The Aristocrats -- This is a movie about a joke. One joke. That's it. The delivery however -- now that was something else. The delivery was sick, sick, sick. This is an in-joke for comedians that have been numbed by jokes for us regular folk. The only thi...
    Read more

    Blogs of Note

    Who Would Jesus Hate? -- described as providing "anecdotal evidence of how religion is on the wrong side of every social issue." Fugetaboutit! -- hilarious site from a "48-year-old shrinking Italian comedian ." Take the tagline for instance: "I saw the face of Jesus in my lasagna ... briefly."
    Read more