TrendLabs has declared a medium risk virus alert to control the spread of WORM_ZOTOB.D and WORM_RBOT.CBQ.


It has received several infection reports indicating that this malware is spreading in Brazil and the U.S.A.

WORM_ZOTOB.D is a memory-resident worm that drops a copy of itself in the%System%wbev folder as WINDRG32.EXE.

It takes advantage of the Microsoft Windows Plug and Play vulnerability to propagate across networks.

Meanwhile, a computer virus has disrupted business at CNN, ABC, and the New York Times.

The worm is affecting computers which are not properly patched against Microsoft security holes such as the MS05-039 Plug and Play vulnerability.

Sophos said it was not immediately obvious which worm has caused the infection as a number of viruses use the exploit — including W32/Tpbot-A and W32/Dogbot-A, as well as the Zotob, Rbot and Tilebot-F worms.

"The experts at Sophos are analysing more and more pieces of malware which are exploiting this serious security vulnerability in Microsoft’s code," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

"These type of attacks are becoming a standard part of the virus writers’ armoury. If you are responsible for network security inside an organization it’s time to wake up and smell the roses: You need to patch your systems now against these security holes or not be surprised when hackers and worms blast their way through."

According to a CNN report the news organization was hit at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in Atlanta and New York.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson at the New York Times was reported to say that production of the newspaper had not been affected.

"Computer viruses don’t discriminate: They will attempt to hit anyone with an unprotected computer, be they a home user in a back bedroom or a multinational corporation," said Cluley.

"However, there is no need for panic or hysteria. Everyone should ensure that their anti-virus software automatically updates itself, that they have a strong firewall in place, and that they have installed the latest Microsoft security patches."

"These companies are used to delivering the news, not starring in the headlines themselves," continued Cluley. "This serves as a timely reminder to all businesses to treat network security as a priority."