Santy Worm Hits AOL, Yahoo

[Khephra]

A new variant of the Santy worm, which attacks Web pages usuing the PHP bulletin board software, appeared this week. Earlier variants used Google to find vulnerable Web pages; the new versions also use the Yahoo and AOL search engines.

The Santy worm, which struck Google last week, has spawned variants that target Yahoo and AOL as well as Google.

First reported on December 21st, Santy attacks Web pages that have vulnerable versions of the PHP bulletin board (phpBB) software, finding them through the popular search engines.

http://www.cio-today.com/cybercrime/story.xhtml?story_title=Santy-Worm-Hits-AOL--Yahoo&story_id=29307&category=cybercrime

[rocktivity]

1. Well, that's GOOD news, isn't it?

Oh, wait--I thought that said "SANITY" worm...

Never mind.

:headbang:
rocknation

[babylonsister]

2. LOL! nt

[illflem]

3. I always thought AOL was a virus in itself

[mtnester]

4. Have you found out otherwise?

AOL, with its proprietary ways and sneaky manipulation of computers, is, in a way, a virus.

I quit them a few years back, they won't see me again.

[aquart]

7. How does it manipulate computers?

I wouldn't touch AOL with a ten-foot pole so I don't know.

[mtnester]

8. All the UPDATES...the constant updates...

AOL pretty much controls your computer...of course this is only IMO

[mrdmk]

14. Actually not!

Here is what happens. The AOL browser manipulates Internet explorer so the AOL browser can use Internet explorer's temporary directories and files as its own (as a side note the earthlink browser does the same thing). Another thing some earlier AOL install programs do (I think the 8.0 and latter install programs stop doing this) is kick out any TCP/IP settings one may have and installs (AOL aways uses their own proprietary TCP/IP software) files overwriting your operating system files. This was a major problem if you had general computer at work and some idiot installed AOL on that computer. The reason AOL started this way back when was because a lot of computers running Windows 95 did not have TCP/IP installed on the computer. This avoided having to get out the operating system diskettes (there were 9 or 10 of them at the time) or the CD. One also needs to remember that AOL did not start as a Internet Service Provider, they were a hyped up computer board similar to Compuserve. Another thing to remember is that when AOL claimed to became an Internet Service Provider they were actually mirroring the Internet, not connecting you directly to the Internet. This left a bad taste in the mouth of savvy computer users, because first they lied about, then the power computer users proved AOL wrong and AOL said what was the difference, eventually they had to change their advertising. I could go on.

[messiah]

5. Attacking free open source software

sounds like something that hired Microsoft or commercial hackers would do lol.

[progressivebydesign]

6. Yahoo is pretty much unusable now, anyway...

..they have NO protections to keep thiefware from stealing their ad banners and hijacking your pages. They are the most infected, annoying mail services around.. UNLESS you pay for their premium mail.. how convenient.

[RebelOne]

9. Please stop bashing AOL and AOL users.

I subscribe to AOL. The only complaint I have about AOL is the monthly charge, which is much too high. I have PeoplePC as a backup, and will probably be switching soon, since it is only $10.95 a month.
But otherwise, I have been quite satisfied with AOL.

[illflem]

11. I don't think anyone is bashing the users

just the providers.
To any that think that AOL is good just try to get it off your computer.

[Senior citizen]

12. I like peoplepc.

AOL came free with my computer for 3 months, so I used it. When I tried to quit, they gave me another 2 months free. When I then called to quit, they gave me a free trial of Compuserve, their lower-priced sister company, which was even worse. Then I got the peoplepc disk in the mail, with a 6 month trial at $5 a month. Three months into it I started upgrading and kept upgrading until I was paying about $20 a month. Then I cut back to basic service, and really haven't noticed the difference--except for the savings.

I have Yahoo premium mail, and have had no problems with it. My gmail account, on the other hand, became a spam magnet, so I just had gmail forward everything to Yahoo, which is much better at blocking spam. The gmail has filters, but I'd like to block porn and can't figure out how to do it without blocking the sort of 4-letter words that people might use in ordinary conversation. I don't mind mail that says fuck wingnuts, but I don't want my inbox cluttered with stuff that says fuck sexy redhot alien vegetables.

Oh, if anyone wants a gmail account, I've got some to give away, so just PM me.

[Steely_Dan]

21. You're Being Fooled

I am not bashing AOL users by any means. It is a great service for those that do not know much about computers or the Internet. I was lucky. I was one of the first to have a web presence years ago and I was forced to learn the ins and outs of the web.

Believe me...if you only knew that AOL is nothing but a website just like the billions of others that exist out there. They make it look as if they are providing the only means to get email and chat and whatever else. If you simply pay around $10.00/month for a dial up and use Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, or any browser, you can design your home page to include anything that AOL puts on their homepage.

I simply think that it is a rip off when you can with very little money do any and everything that AOL can do.

-P

[GregD]

10. I got hit with it

A few of my sites were attacked, one successfully. The others were just generating a lot of traffic and error reports.

I wrote a script that recognizes the attack, and redirects the calling browser to a page that describes the worm.

http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?date=2004-12-21

[Steely_Dan]

13. AOL Is A Scam

What most people that use AOL don't know or realize is that AOL is nothing more than a huge website. There is absolutely nothing that AOL does that you couldn't do yourself with any browser. It is one of the biggest scams there is!

-P

[Unforgiven]

15. Yep

[MaximumConformist]

17. Yup

Another evil invention from Ted Turner. Probably collaborating with Halliburton on this one too.

[TahitiNut]

19. R.I.P.

[henslee]

18. What about providing dial up service?

[Dem2theMax]

16. I've had AOL for ten years.

Not one problem. Not one virus, not one worm, not one anything. Other than actually good service. Go figure.

And in case anyone asks 'why ten years?', it's because I live in no mans land. Meaning dial-up is it. Couldn't afford faster service even if we did have it.

And I think the article should have said 'sanity' worm too. :)

[davis_islander]

20. There are plenty other dial up services

that are a hell of a lot faster than AOL, and MUCH cheaper too. The only reason to keep AOL is if you like their content. For general web surfing and email other services beat the pants off AOL.