Gizmodo: Viruses

Symantec Papercraft Bots: Must. Resist. Clever. Marketing.

Mark Wilson — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:15:00 EDT

The only thing better than a robot may be a papercraft robot, and computer security software company Symantec clearly totally realizes this. Because to better educate the public on various malware bots that can infect their systems, Symantec has released free thematic papercraft robots. And kudos to their marketing department—they aren't covered in logos for Norton Antivirus or something. Here's a picture of their identity theft bot. Hit the link to collect all two! [Symantec via boingboing]

Happy 30th Birthday, Spam!

Elaine Chow — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:30:00 EDT

Oh Spam, my how you have grown! Thirty years ago, on this day, you came into the world as a little misguided e-mail sent by an equipment engineer over Arpanet to promote a new line of computers. You were quickly shot down by other Arpanet users who called it an "insult... to have an obvious commercial message sent out over a research network." Yet, at some point in time, people stopped protesting you loudly enough. Now you comprise 80 percent to 95 percent of all e-mail sent, your crafty trojans and pesky viruses have infected millions of computers, and you've cost IT departments nearly $200 billion to combat you. But since it's your birthday, instead of telling you like we usually do to GTFO, let us sing you a little song instead. It goes something like this:

Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, SPAM! LOVELY SPAM!

World's Least Favorite Computer Viruses As Haunting 3D Art

Wilson Rothman — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST

The image above isn't something from James Cameron's Aliens of the Deep. No, it's actually an artist's rendering of a spam email with the subject, "HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT YOU ARE GETTING FAT?" The images below represent some of the most notorious code the world has seen, including PWS-Lineage, Stormy, MyDoom, Mytob, IRCBot and Netsky.

Artist Alex Dragulescu renders these eerie 3D images using the neutralized code of viruses, worms, spyware and Trojan horses. He gets the code from the security firm MessageLabs, which commissioned the works. Dragulescu explains:

API calls, memory addresses and subroutines are tracked and analyzed. Their frequency, density and grouping are mapped to the inputs of an algorithm that grows a virtual 3D entity.

Why does this remind me so much of all those movies where scientists culture supposedly neutralized biological viruses, and the next thing you know 97% of the earth is dead? No, Alex, we wouldn't like a signed, numbered digital copy of your virus collection on our hard-drive, no matter how safe you say it is! [Alex Dragulescu via Gizmodo AU]

Globalization and Its Malcontents: Mexico, India and Africa Will Be New Epicenters of Internet Crime

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:45:50 EST

Computer viruses no longer come from the US or Europe; the hottest hotbeds of hackerdom may be in China and Russia now, but even that will shift. Soon, the most dangerous internet criminals might hail from Mexico, India and Africa, says a new study. Shouldn't somebody call Nick Negroponte?

Security specialists at F-Secure have drawn up a report with three maps that create—perhaps unintentionally—a compelling narrative of the way malware reflects the changing economic situation around the globe.

Back in the day (1986 to 2003), computer viruses mainly came from developed, predominantly white regions, US, Europe and Australia, along with India. There were anomalies like the Philippines-originated "Love Bug," but by and large, it seemed computer viruses could be chalked up as a by-product of the technological success of the post-industrial world. The hackers themselves were effete, tea-sipping "hobbyists," out to perfect their skills—not steal millions.
Next came the pros from Eastern Europe, China and Brazil. For the past four or five years, it's been a full-on assault from the regions where high-level computer skills are plentiful, but legit employment opportunities like those found at Redmond, Mountain View or Cupertino are slim to none. Broadband roll-out and a border-free internet have given these guys plenty of opportunities for targeted attacks with cash money—okay, credit-card and bank-account info—as the deliberate end result.In the future, though, new e-criminals will most likely operate out of regions that seem a bit more surprising, such as Mexico and Africa. Part of the reason is that internet usage is fast increasing in those areas, while the requisite IT job growth or technological-age legal system that naturally keep the ruffians in check are not developing as fast. Pour a little political discord on top of that, and you've got one hell of a haven for hackers.

India will also see a resurgence in criminal activity, mainly because the job opportunities will never keep up with the number of people being trained with high-level computer skills, in spite of the country's rapid growth.[F-Secure]

Ang Lee's "Lust" Spreads Sexually Transmitted PC Virus

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:17:30 EST

People who didn't want to settle for the sanitized version of Ang Lee's Lust, Caution turned to the dirtier illegal download, and ended up in need of a shot of virtual penicillin. Chinese censors chopped about 30 minutes of the old hot-n-heavy out of the movie, increasing demand for a pirated copy showing the American cut. But hackers have replaced many copies of the film with bundles of malicious software causing everything from BSOD to password theft. It's known as Trojan.Win32.Mnless.zgw, though InfoWorld and others prefer "the Lust virus." At last count, about 15 of Lust downloads were poised to zap systems. Question: what's the downside for censors or the piracy-fearing MPAA? Answer: there is none. [InfoWorld]

UV Disinfectant Wand Kills Creepy Crawlies, Lets You Spot Bodily Fluids

Charlie White — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 10:20:40 EST

The UV Disinfectant Wand looks kinda like a Moto KRZR, but its clamshell shape can be put to an entirely different use. It emits ultraviolet radiation, and it's said to kill 99.9% of the bacteria and viruses in its path. Just 10 seconds worth of this death ray, and bacteria and viral DNA will supposedly be sent packing. Either that or it will give them one hell of a sunburn.

But what about those bodily fluids?

This wand is perfect for those germ-fearing mysophobes who may not realize that in sheer numbers, there are more bacteria and viruses in their bodies than there are human cells.

Anyway, take one of these $70 UV germ killing lights into your next hotel room, and shine it on that bedspread. You did know that substances such as semen, saliva, perspiration and vaginal fluids are naturally fluorescent, didn't you? Not only will this UV disinfectant wand supposedly kill germs, it will let you see all kinds of things you wish you hadn't. Sounds like it could create more problems than it solves. – Charlie White

UV Disinfectant Wand [ThinkGeek, via GearFuse]

Panasonic Air Filter Removes Bird Flu Virus

Gizloco — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 09:01:11 EDT

Remember how bird flu was supposed to be the next great pandemic, sentencing humanity to an unfortunate, if not untimely, end? Fear not, for Panasonic has created a filter that they claim is 99.999 percent effective in removing the virus (plus others like SARS and "normal" influenza) from the air we breathe. It uses what Panasonic has christened Super Alleru-Buster technology to do the dirty work of removing pathogens from the air.

Panasonic also hinted that the Super Alleru-Buster technology can be applied to other materials, not just limiting it to traditional air filters. – Nicholas Deleon

Press Release [Panasonic via Digital World Tokyo]

Popular Antivirus Apps Don't Work 80% of the Time

Charlie White — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 10:36:55 EDT

Feeling all smug, snug and secure because you have antivirus software running on that PC of yours? Think again. Graham Ingram, the general manager of Australia's Computer Emergency Response Team says the most popular antivirus applications are about as impregnable as a screen door in a submarine, letting 80% of the creepy crawlies through.

Ingram didn't mention them by name, but the three leading antivirus applications are Symantec with 53.6% of the market, McAfee with 18.8%, and Trend Micro with 13.8%. On the other hand, one antivirus package he did mention by name was the Russian application Kaspersky, which he said blocks of 90% of viruses and Trojans.

There was also no mention of the performance hit antivirus software claims from your system. It's a shame that so many people are using useless applications such as Symantec antivirus software. The cure is worse than the disease. The funny thing is, viruses don't come to get you, you have to actively infect yourself with them. And, by the time any of these bullshit apps figure out how to deal with ever more masterfully-written viruses, the horse is already out of the barn. But just to be safe, don't use Internet Explorer and don't click on any attachments, and you'll be far more likely to be virus-free than if you're depending on any of these fraudulent applications. Or, you could just get a Mac. – Charlie White

Why popular antivirus apps 'do not work' [ZDNet Australia, via The Consumerist]

Viruses Engineered to Make Batteries

Robb — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 10:33:06 EDT

Researchers have engineered viruses to attract metals and spin them into battery components.
Modifying viral genes so the outside viral layer would bind with certain metal ions, they found that incubating the virus in a cobalt chloride solution produced nanowires that work as positive electrodes.
The AP said that the scientists introduced a bit of gold for the desired electrical effects, but we all know that they were proud and just wanted to add a little bling.

Though there's obviously no hope for human survival in the face of such intelligent and industrious obligate intracellular parasites, we can at least rest assured that in the grim future of Hello Bacteriophage, the war machine will be powered by tiny cute little lithium ion battery electrodes.

Viruses "trained" [AP]

Cellphone Trojan from Russia

johnb — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 07:29:54 EDT

Just in time for PayPal Mobile, there's a Trojan that called RedBrowser that pretends to browse the web using SMS instead of a WAN connection. Instead of giving you sweet, sweet Internet access, however, it runs up $5 and $6 SMS charges for folks on the Russian Beeline, MTS and Megafon networks. Would we be stupid enough to fall for it here? Ummm...

Russian phone Trojan tries to ring up charges [MSN]

Mac Trojan Horse Appears: Ha!

Travis Hudson — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 08:23:28 EST

The Mac Observer is reporting on a Trojan Horse has surfaced on the web that affects Mac users. The Trojan, which has been named Oompa-Loompa is a malware-esque application that tricks unsuspecting Mac owners into thinking it is a JPEG image. If it is launched it requires administrator access before having the ability to install files, cause carnage, and duplicate itself by sending to your iChat buddy list. Suck on dem apples, Apple.

Mac Trojan Horse surfaces [MacMinute]