Tech Alert Briefing for 2/15/2002

MASS MAILING EMAIL WORM COMPROMISES WORD 2000 SECURITY SETTINGS
A newly discovered mass mailing email worm named W32.Alcarys@mm, is capable of disabling security settings in Microsoft Word 2000. This latest worm was discovered yesterday and is reported to be capable of widespread distribution according to Symantec. If infected, the worm distributes itself to all recipients in the Outlook Address Book and will overwrite ".htm", ".scr", ".com", and ".exe" files.

The worm is distributed with the following subject line and message:

Subject: sounds of sex and other stuffs

Message: ....Hear me and my girlfriend moan...We spent yesterday's night having sex... I've also included a list of haiku, a cool talking screensaver and a link to a site offering cheap ecstasy pills.. enjoy..

Attachments (all four attachments will be added to the email):
haiku for you.txt (readme.txt)
http:/ /www.EcstasyRUs.com
the cool talking screensaver (syra.scr)
sexsounds.wav (SexSound.exe)

Additional information is available from Symantec:
W32.Alcarys@mm



Previous Tech Alerts:
02/13/02 SNMP VULNERABILITY
02/07/02 Bloodhound Mass Mailing Worm and Managing Risks in Wireless Networks
02/04/02 Microsoft Issues Collection of Security Fixes for Windows 2000
01/31/02 Copycat Virus Unleashed
01/30/02 Netscape Browser Vulnerable to Cookie Theft
01/28/02 "My Party" Mass Mailing Worm
01/18/02 IT Contingency Planning Guide, Information Security Checklist and Solaris Vulnerability
01/15/02 Trojan.StartPage Alters Web Browsers
01/12/02 New Internet Worm Gigger Masquerades as Microsoft Outlook Upgrade
01/08/02 Microsoft Universal Plug and Play Vulnerability
12/20/01 Holiday Themed Computer Virus Unleashed