Scribblings

Fear of Sasser

We’ve had no Internet connection at work for the past two days and I’ve been wondering whether they might have taken it down deliberately in fear of the Sasser worm. I’ve had no info on this but then I haven’t asked for any.

The network is, of course, entirely composed of Windows XP boxes run by (you guessed it) yet more Microsoft stuff. If it is down because of fear of Sasser then what a sad comment this makes about the usefulness of Microsoft Windows as a network platform.

My understanding is that the Sasser worm is able to infect Windows boxes without any intervention by the user; all you have to do is plug the machine in and as soon as Sasser finds it it will infect it. For over-stretched IT departments the only way to protect the network, in the short term, is to take it offline.

Brilliant. What lunatic designed a platform which was completely open to every passing virus?

Posted 6 May 2004, 06:58
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