August 17, 2005
To: UCOP Community
From: Waleed Nammari, Manager, IR&C Desktop Computing Services
A new worm called Zotob has surfaced, and is exploiting a vulnerability
in Windows 2000 desktops and servers. Zotob does not affect
other Windows systems, such as XP/SP2 and Windows 2003 servers.
IR&C has alerted departmental PC coordinators to the need to
install specific Microsoft security updates to protect customers
from the virus. To date, we have not heard that any UCOP systems
have been attacked. If you have any concerns that your computer
has been infected, please contact your PC coordinator immediately.
Zotob installs malicious software on vulnerable computers and then
searches for other computers to infect. By exploiting the vulnerability,
an attacker would be able to take full control of an affected system,
install programs, and even change or delete data. Thus, it is essential
that security updates be installed as soon as they are made available.
If you want technical information about the worm, you may read the
Microsoft Security Advisory at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/899588.mspx
.
