[November 10, 2006]

Google Apologizes for Distributing Kama Sutra Worm

By Mae Kowalke

TMCnet Associate Editor

Search engine giant Google (News - Alert) this week found itself in the unenviable position of having to apologize for accidentally helping distribute copies of a malicious file best known as the Kama Sutra worm.

The company admitted late Tuesday that the worm was sent out by mistake to subscribers of the Google Video Blog discussion list, InfoWorld Daily reported.

The report quoted Google as saying that three posts were made to the Google Video Blog, one or more of which may have contained the virus known as W32/Kapser.A@mm. From there, the virus was apparently distributed by accident by the Google team that sends out news items and other tidbits potentially interesting to subscribers of the Video Blog discussion list.

Kama Sutra, which was discovered in January, 2006, deletes files and registry keys on computers. Today it is blocked by most antivirus software programs, and as such Google recommends that anyone who suspects they may have received the file run a virus scan to delete it.

This is the second time in about a month that Google experienced a malicious attack; earlier this fall the company’s official blog was hacked into by someone who published a fake post there.

But, in an update to the Kama Sutra story, InfoWorld pointed out that Google is hardly the only company to experience occasional security breaches.

For example, two years ago F-Secure, a company that makes security software, discovered that it had sent out the Netsky-B worm to members of its security discussion list in the U.K.

Another example happened more recently, when hackers created a page for the open encyclopedia’s German edition apparently intended to warn users about a new version of the Blaster virus—but the entry contained a link for an antivirus tool that actually was a virus.

After finding out about the Kama Sutra distribution, Google humbly apologized and promised to tighten its security measures.

“We’re taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again,” the InfoWorld update quoted Google as saying in a statement to subscribers of the Video Blog discussion list.

Mae Kowalke previously wrote for Cleveland Magazine in Ohio and The Burlington Free Press in Vermont. To see more of her articles, please visit Mae Kowalke’s columnist page. Also check out her Wireless Mobility blog.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]

Discussions:


	During the last week of October, several e-mails went out to users of Verizon's SuperPages.com service, sent from an unknown source, offering an Enhanced Business Listing. The e-mail included the client names and their e-mail address and required the user to click GET STARTED - it's free Drive more traffic to your Business today with SuperPages.comThis offer will expire in 7 days. Since my company is an advertiser with SuperPages.com, I clicked on the link. My virus protection immediately alerted me of a virus and said it could not be deleted. I thought it must be a mistake and followed through to the Verizon Page but the landing page wasn't even remotely related to any offer for enhanced listings. I contacted Verizon within a few minutes and they said that an e-mail did go out and that it was SPAM. I told them that my virus software gave me an alert and that is when the representative said, oh yeah, there is a virusand you should run your virus software. I did and can only hope that I caught it.... no telling what the virus is programmed to do. I called back a few minutes later to advise the SuperPages.com team that they may want to send an alert to their users of the potential of the fraudulent message. They only said, we'll submit the request. I can tell you, I haven't received ANYTHING from Verizon warning of the message and can only hope that the other advertisers don't open the e-mail. Google obviously had some sense to send a press release/news alert. I e-mailed them and received a response that they would forward the message signed the Google Team. Considering Verizon Sells Google Ads, its a wonder they haven't asked Verizon to send a note. But, that is what we can expect from Verizon I guess. No wonder they have so much room for competition. They just don't seem to care about their customers any more. G.R.