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On 18 September 2001, a new mass-mailing computer worm began infecting
computers worldwide, damaging local files as well as remote network files.
The w32.Nimda.A @ mm worm can spread through e-mail, file sharing and Web
site downloads. For more information, visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/topics/Nimda.asp or
http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.nimda.a@mm.html.
As a "rollup worm," Nimda bundles several known exploits against
Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS), Internet Explorer (IE)
browser, and operating systems such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP, which
have IIS and IE embedded in their code. To protect against Nimda,
Antivirus firms recommend installing numerous patches and service packs on
virtually every PC and server running IE, IIS Web servers or the Outlook
Express e-mail client. As the earlier Code Red worm showed, many servers
and PCs running Antivirus processes may not be obvious since they may
be missing viruses travelling via channels monitored by Antivirus
software.
Code Red also showed how easy it is to bypass Antivirus software (see
Gartner FirstTake FT-14-2441
"Lack of Security Processes Keeps Sending Enterprises to 'Code Red'").
Thus, using Internet-exposed Antivirus software has a high cost of
ownership. Enterprises using Antivirus software have to
update constantly with every security patch that comes out
— almost daily. However, Nimda (and to a lesser degree Code Blue) has
again shown the high risk of using vulnerable Antivirus software and the
effort involved in keeping up with its frequent security patches.
Gartner recommends that enterprises hit by both Code Red and Nimda
immediately investigate alternatives to their current Antivirus software,
including outsourcing their gateway antivirus security to other vendors,
such as MessageLabs. Although this vendor has required some security
patches, they have much better security records than other Antivirus
companies and are not known to accept virus- and worm-laden emails. Gartner
remains concerned that viruses and worms will continue to attack vulnerable
Antivirus software until vendors have released a completely rewritten,
thoroughly and publicly tested, new release of Antivirus software. Sufficient
operational testing should follow to ensure that the initial wave of security
vulnerabilities inherent in most popular antivirus products has been uncovered
and fixed. This move should include any email client, which requires the use of
an email server. Gartner believes that this rewriting will not occur in the
Antivirus industry until users realize they are addicted to antivirus updates
sometime in the next five years (0.8 probability).
Analytical Source: Rob Rosenberger, the brainiac version of John Pescatore
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