Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com
Central Command, a provider of PC anti-virus software and computer security services, released its monthly listing of the top twelve viruses reported for August, 2002. The report, coined the “Dirty Dozen”, is based on the number of virus occurrences confirmed through Central Command’s Emergency Virus Response Team.
The list below represents the most prevalent viruses for August 2002, number one being the most frequent.
Ranking Virus Name (Percentage)
1. W32/Yaha.E 33.8%
2. Worm/Klez.E (includes G variant) 31.0%
3. Worm/W32.Sircam 8.9%
4. W32/Elkern.C 8.8%
5. W32/Magistr.B 3.1%
6. W32/Nimda 1.9%
7. W95/Hybris 1.7%
8. W32/Magistr.A 1.4%
9. W32/Funlove 1.1%
10. Worm/Badtrans.B 0.8%
11. W95/CIH 0.8%
12. W95/Spaces 0.7%
Others 6.0%
“After five months, we have finally seen a switch at the top as W32/Yaha.E surpasses Klez securing the pole position,” said Steven Sundermeier product manager at Central Command, Inc. W32/Yaha.E
arrives with a randomly selected subject line likely associated with a love or friendship based theme. It spreads itself through email, as well as, by exploiting holes in MSN Messenger and ICQ instant messaging. “Peer-2-Peer networks like ICQ and MSN Messenger in conjunction with file sharing networks like Napster and KaZaa are beginning to play a pivotal role in the distribution of this latest breed of viruses in 2002.”
Other worms targeting file sharing networks for the month of August include: Worm/P2P.Duload.A, Worm/P2P.Sambud.A, Worm/P2P.Sambud.B, and TR/Bat.Dolomite. A complete list can be read at: (www.centralcommand.com/virus_descriptions.html).
