New computer worm poised to cause massive outages
{{date|August 17, 2005}}

Anti-virus software publisher [[w:Symantec|Symantec]] has reported that outbreaks of two varieties of [[w:computer worm|worm]] are imminent following system failures on two unnamed major corporate networks in the [[w:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]. After receiving several eyewitness accounts from on-site personnel this reporter noted similarities to the [[w:MSBlast|MSBlast]] worm which made headline news two years ago (on the 16th of July 2003) after causing massive outages. 

The worms are limited to Microsoft Windows products based on the NT architecture such as [[w:Windows 2000|Windows 2000]] or [[w:Windows XP|Windows XP]], exploiting administrator services applets which shut a computer down when a certain service fails. The worms cause these "administrator services" to fail, provoking the computer into shutting down immediately. 

Microsoft has announced that a critical update is available for all users, even
for those who use pirated versions of Windows.

Chrysler, Kraft Foods and many other US corporations are feeling the brunt of the attack as the US was in the middle of the work day when new more virulent variants emerged.   

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.esbot.a.html
|title=W32.Esbot.A
|author=
|pub=Symantec
|date=August 17, 2005}}
<!-- Hint: If you are citing BBC News, leave the author blank and put "BBC News" in the "pub" parameter. -->

*{{source|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2141224/windows-worm-knocks
|title=Corporations in US knocked down
|author=
|pub=www.vnunet.com
|date=August 17, 2005}}

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[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
Anti-virus software publisher Symantec has reported that outbreaks of two varieties of worm are imminent following system failures on two unnamed major corporate networks in the United Kingdom. After receiving several eyewitness accounts from on-site personnel this reporter noted similarities to the MSBlast worm which made headline news two years ago (on the 16th of July 2003) after causing massive outages. 

The worms are limited to Microsoft Windows products based on the NT architecture such as Windows 2000 or Windows XP, exploiting administrator services applets which shut a computer down when a certain service fails. The worms cause these "administrator services" to fail, provoking the computer into shutting down immediately. 

Microsoft has announced that a critical update is available for all users, even
for those who use pirated versions of Windows.

Chrysler, Kraft Foods and many other US corporations are feeling the brunt of the attack as the US was in the middle of the work day when new more virulent variants emerged.   

*
Internet Science and technology