June 2006
BitDefender Products Detect JS.Blackworm.A Yahoo Email Worm
Proof of Concept Worm Harmless Now but Shows Potential for Real Danger
BitDefender╝, an award-winning provider of antivirus software and data security solutions, today announced that its customers can detect the new JS.Blackworm.A worm that has been able to spread through an unpatched vulnerability in Yahoo Mail.
The worm spreads via Javascript through a vulnerability in Yahoo and Yahoo Groups emails, potentially infecting more than 100 million worldwide Yahoo users. Users of the new beta version of Yahoo Mail are not affected by this worm. Once infected email has been opened, the worm automatically executes and attempts to gather and contact all email addresses containing either a @yahoo.com or @yahoogroups.com address. Currently designed only as a proof of concept malware and not containing a damaging payload, the worm was designed to only test how well it could be spread through this vulnerability.
BitDefender provided its customers with the ability to detect the worm as soon as it was found in the wild. Following detection, simple deletion of infected emails is all that is required.
⌠This is a very well written worm that although harmless right now, opens a Pandora▓s Box for potential future Yahoo Mail-focused malware. The designer obviously has a great deal of understanding of web programming and this particular vulnerability, and is another example of criminal malware organizations using better trained designers,■ said Bogdan Dumitru, BitDefender▓s CTO. ⌠Again, BitDefender has shown that we are smarter than even the most gifted virus writer and our customers were safe from this vulnerability within minutes of it hitting the wild.■
For more information about the JS.Blackworm.A worm, visit: http://www.bitdefender.com/VIRUS-246957-en--JS.Blackworm.A.html
About Bitdefender®
Bitdefender is the creator of one of the world's fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified internet security software.Since 2001, the company has been an industry pioneer, introducing and developing award-winning protection. Today, Bitdefender technology secures the digital experience of around 400 million home and corporate users across the globe.
Recently, the company has won a range of key independent recommendations in the US, UK and across Europe, including ConsumerSearch, Which?, Stiftung Warentest and Taenk. Bitdefender antivirus technology has also finished top in leading industry tests from both AV Test and AV-Comparatives. More information about Bitdefender's antivirus products is available from the company's security solutions press room. Additionally, Bitdefender publishes Malware City providing the latest updates on security threats and helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.