Security news
Security news2 March 2004
Did your computer beep beep beep this morning? Maybe you have the Netsky virus, Sophos advises
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Early bird computer users may have been serenaded to a breakfast chorus of beeps this morning, as the W32/Netsky-D worm activated its peculiar payload.
The author of Netsky-D programmed their creation to beep the computer's speaker sporadically between the hours of 06:00 and 08:59 on 2 March 2004.
"Computers beep and warble for all kinds of reasons, and if your computer was chirruping this morning it doesn't necessarily mean you have the widespread Netsky worm," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "The best way to tell if you have a computer virus is not to use your ears, but anti-virus software instead. But prevention remains the best medicine - taking care over what emails you open is the best advice of all."
It is unclear why Netsky-D's creator chose to make his worm beep, as well as the more traditional behaviour of spreading via email, but Sophos researchers suspect it may be a childish prank.
"The author may be amused by the thought of an office full of infected PCs, all beeping away," continued Cluley. "But the Netsky worm causes real harm by clogging up email systems and making unauthorised changes to computer systems."
