Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Klez Worm Goes After Myriad Files

    By
    Dennis Fisher
    -
    January 18, 2002
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Yet another e-mail-borne worm is making the rounds on the Internet using an infection and pattern that should be quite familiar to administrators and users.

      The worm is capable of deleting anti-virus and a lengthy list of other files. On the sixth day of every month save January and July, the worm tries to overwrite all files with the following extensions: .txt, .htm, .html, .wab, .doc, .xls, .jpg, .cpp, .c, .pas, .mpg, .mpeg, .bak and .mp3.

      Klez.E showed up on anti-virus companies radar screens Thursday and hasnt spread very widely, although, as a mass-mailing worm, it certainly has that potential.

      The e-mail message carrying the worm arrives in the users inbox with a random subject line and bears an attachment that also has a randomized name. The attachment can be a file with either a .bat, .exe, .pif or .scr extension, according to an advisory published by Symantec Corp, which rates the worms severity as low.

      The attachment carrying the worm can execute either when the user opens it or views the message in Microsoft Outlooks preview pane.

      Once it is unleashed, Klez copies itself to the Windows System folder and either modifies a certain registry key or creates one of its own. It then creates a value in that key so that the worm will execute once the machine starts up again.

      The worm then attempts to disable some virus scanners and, oddly enough, delete other worms such as Code Red and Nimda that may have infected the machine. Klez then drops a virus known as W32.Elkern.3587 on the infected machine and executes it.

      It also copies itself to local, mapped and network drives using a random file name and double extension, such as filename.txt.exe.

      Klez then mails itself to any e-mail address it finds in the users Windows address book, ICQ database or local files. It can also infect executable files by making a hidden copy of the original host file and then overwriting the original file with the virus.

      Dennis Fisher

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×