New worm targets Linux systems

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How many times do people have to be corrected on that myth?

We are talking web servers not file servers, directory servers, security servers, print servers, etc. Windows does not have the lion's share of that market at all. In fact, Windows is a baby in comparison when you compare the sheer number of installations and when you consider how long the Linux products have been on the market.

Wiki was invented on *nix systems. Apache was invented on *nix systems. All the first, strongest, most secure, most widely utilised, most widely deployed web servers were first invented on *nix. Even Warp Server by IBM and Netware IGWS by Novel was more widespread than Windows in their hay days. They mostly took ground from *nix systems --and admitedly mostly lost ground to the overhyped Win2k systems that were not near as fast, reliable nor secure.

Right or wrong matters. That's just the truth of it and will probably remain so in the future as Windows continue to lose ground to *nix systems, mostly Linux.

Bear in mind that this is a Web server issue, not a Linux issue as the headline suggests.

[quote]the XML-RPC for PHP Remote Code Injection vulnerability; AWStats Rawlog Plugin Logfile Parameter Input Validation vulnerability; and Darryl Burgdorf's Webhints Remote Command Execution Vulnerability[/quote]

These are non-kernel issues that are not tied into the OS as IE, WMP, OE, etc. are. See what Symantec says:

[quote]
Damage

* Payload Trigger: n/a
* Payload: Opens a back door on the compromised computer.
o Large scale e-mailing: n/a
o Deletes files: n/a
o Modifies files: n/a
o Degrades performance: Generates URLs in order to scan for other computers to infect, which may affect network performance.
o Causes system instability: n/a
o Releases confidential info: n/a
o Compromises security settings: n/a

Distribution

* Subject of email: n/a
* Name of attachment: n/a
* Size of attachment: n/a
* Time stamp of attachment: n/a
* Ports: UDP port 7222.
* Shared drives: n/a
* Target of infection: n/a
[/quote]

See what McAffee says:

[quote]
This worm spreads by exploiting web servers hosting vulnerable PHP/CGI scripts....

The worm blindly attacks web servers by sending malicious http requests on port 80. If the target server is running one of the vulnerable scripts at specific URLs and is configured to permit external shell commands and remote file download in the PHP/CGI environment, a copy of the worm could be downloaded and executed.

Like its precedents, the infected computers form a global network of compromised servers based on peer to peer communication principles. This network can be used, for example, for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks or other purposes because it can accept remote commands. It is also capable of harvesting email addresses stored in files on the web server.
[/quote]

As you can read, the terms 'server' & 'system' referes to 'web server' or 'web system' and not 'server OS' or 'operating system' when the article claims, "a backdoor is installed on infected servers, giving the attacker remote control over the system."

Yes, ZDNet at their finest again but they did include the links that you could have gone to and figured that out by yourself without me having to quote them here. Do not just RTflippingA but also click the flipping links then read some more.

Posted by: The King's Servant   Posted on: 11/08/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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