USB flash drive worm arrives

A WORM WHICH which copies itself onto removable drives, such as USB flash drives has been unearthed.

The LiarVB-A worm hunts for removable drives such as floppy disks and USB memory sticks and then creates a hidden file called autorun.inf to ensure a copy of the worm is run the next time it is connected to a Windows PC.

Once it has infected a system, it drops an HTML file containing a message about AIDS and HIV to the user's drive.

While most malware is designed to generate income for the hackers, this worm the seems simply tospread information about AIDS instead, according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

"Even though the hackers responsible for this worm aren't set on filling their pockets with cash, and may feel that they are spreading an important message, they are still breaking the law. In the future we might see more graffiti-style malware being written on behalf of political, religious and other groups looking for a soapbox to broadcast their opinions, he said." The worm comes laden with a message claiming it does no harm.

"This file Doesn't make harmful change to your computer. This File is NOT DANGEROUS for your Computer and FlashDisk (USB). This File Doesn't Disturb any Data or Files on your computer and FlashDisk (USB). So Dont be affraid, and Be Happy !" it reads. µ

L'INQ
Sophos