ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Security / Security Management

'MyParty' worm goes global

By Staff, CNet, 29 January, 2002 10:40

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

Topics

Email, Internet, Attachment, myparty, Viruses, Worm, Russia

NEWS
An email attachment that poses as a Web link but is actually a mass-mailing computer worm spread slowly over the weekend, but it managed to infect systems in more than 50 countries. Known within the antivirus industry as W32.MyParty@MM or W32/MyParty-A, the worm appears to be a link to a Web site, www.myparty.yahoo.com -- which doesn't actually exist. If the link is clicked, the worm sends itself out to every entry in the Windows address book, used by Outlook and Outlook Express. The worm affects all variants of Windows, from 95 to XP. While it has spread worldwide, the number of infections is quite low, according to antivirus experts. "It's quiet, and it has been relatively quiet all day," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for UK-based antivirus company Sophos. "Most vendors had protection for this before the US woke up." The worm was first spotted in Asia and later tracked in Europe. MyParty uses a trick of semantics to convince victims that the file attachment is a Web site. Certain Windows programs use a .COM extension, which of course mimics the tail end of many Web site names. The email containing the worm has a subject line touting "new photos from MyParty!" The body adds: "Hello! MyParty...It was absolutely amazing! I have attached my web page with new photos! If you can please make color prints of my photos. Thanks!" While MyParty may not be overly clever, said Roger Thompson, director of malicious code research for security-services company TruSecure, it seems to have worked moderately well. "It got lucky," Thompson said, adding that computer users should have learned by now not to click on attachments, no matter what they are named. "It's an exercise in the public's short attention span." Very little data exists to show the true spread of the worm. However, UK-based email service provider MessageLabs received copies of MyParty from more than 50 countries since Saturday, when the worm started spreading. Rival Postini saw an increase in malicious attachments -- currently running at one out of every 100 email messages compared with a normal average of one in every 1,000 -- and found that 72 percent of that traffic consisted of copies of MyParty. MyParty also leaves behind a file that some antivirus software makers believe to be a copy of itself and others say is a program designed to send information back to the creator. The worm's programming limits MyParty to infecting computers from 25 January to 29 January and also ensures that any computer that has a Russian version of Windows installed won't be infected. That detail, plus the fact that the worm attempts to send infection information to an email address at a Russian Web service provider, seems to make a case that a Russian created the worm. "There is a suspicion that the people who created this came from Russia," Cluley said. However, he cautioned that a virus writer anywhere else in the world could have manufactured such details to mislead investigators. Compared with other worms that spread in 2001 -- such as Code Red, Nimda and SirCam -- MyParty is only a small gathering, said antivirus researchers.
For all security-related news, including updates on the latest viruses, hacking exploits and patches, check out ZDNet UK's Viruses and Hacking News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the Security forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Related stories

MyParty worm is an unwelcome guest

Data leaks cost Midlothian a record £140k fine

Google-backed DMARC system aims to block phishers

Ten ways to take the sting out of IT disasters

Firms face tough new EU fines for data breaches

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

3 minutes ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
bdantas

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

46 minutes ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

1 hour ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

1 hour ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Moley

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

2 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
ramwellian

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

2 hours ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?
BugStalker

"Interesting thought ... If you installed Win7 as a dual boot on a machine that previously only had Linux, and it wrecked your Linux installation,...

3 hours ago by BugStalker on Windows 7 Declares War on GRUB
whs001

This is an excellent summary of Ubuntu and Mint and the interface differences between them. Most such articles take a very partisan position for...

3 hours ago by whs001 on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Moley

@ewallace. Not so clear. Anyone can obtain the text, for example from here http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/2379. I support ACTA so long as it and...

3 hours ago by Moley on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
45283

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

6 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA
Burn-IT

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

7 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs
ewallace

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

7 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
fgvrg56

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

9 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?
Ben Woods

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

10 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
Marcus Karlsson

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

11 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
apexwm

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

19 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility
txtrainguy

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

1 day ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility
k0tcs3

Sure, that makes perfect sense. Pay wrong-doers money and thank them for breaching your security and pointing out your flaws, that would surely...

1 day ago by k0tcs3 on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack
Random_Error

I think he's referring specifically to Android apps, as Apple do regulate their App Store, but Google seem to let any old crap onto the Android store!

1 day ago by Random_Error on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store
Paul Fezziwig

Keep the crap apps out?! How will they compete with Android and Apple's claim to fame of having so many life changing apps? I wonder if the media...

1 day ago by Paul Fezziwig via Facebook on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store

Latest in Security Management

Data leaks cost Midlothian a record £140k fine

Google-backed DMARC system aims to block phishers

Ten ways to take the sting out of IT disasters

Featured white papers

2012 Olympics: Is your business prepared?

Symantec.cloud

2012 Olympics: Is your business prepared?

The Olympics are coming to London, and this factsheet can help businesses to get ready for the... Read more

10 safety tips for business in 2012

Symantec.cloud

10 safety tips for business in 2012

From cloud computing to remote working, your business should consider these ways to keep your business secure as traditional IT... Read more

Keeping safe from organised cybercrime

Symantec.cloud

Keeping safe from organised cybercrime

As cyber-criminals become increasingly coordinated in their cross-medium attacks, a solid, communicating and... Read more

Inside ZDNet UK

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Case study: How cloud enables growth

Case study: How cloud enables growth

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault