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09.26.06
New Strain Of Stration Worm Targets VML Flaw
 By Jason Lee Miller
Sophos reports that a new version of the Stration worm, called the W32/Stratio-AN worm, is "aggressively" spreading via email systems.
The security company spotted the W32/Stratio-AN worm early Monday morning, spreading via email using a variety of disguises, including one posing as a warning that the recipient's computer has been infected by a worm.
The text of the email is as follows:
Subject line: Mail server report.
Message text:
Mail server report.
Our firewall determined the e-mails containing worm copies are being sent from your computer.
Nowadays it happens from many computers, because this is a new virus type (Network Worms).
Using the new bug in the Windows, these viruses infect the computer unnoticeably. After the penetrating into the computer the virus harvests all the e-mail addresses and sends the copies of itself to these e-mail addresses
Please install updates for worm elimination and your computer restoring.
Best regards,
Customers support service
Attached file: Update-KB7859-x86.zip (which contains the file Update-KB7859-x86.exe).
Sophos says the worm is designed to play on the fears of the unpatched VML flaw in Microsoft software.
"Many Windows users are waiting anxiously for Microsoft to fix the VML flaw in its code, which has been exploited by hackers online," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.
"It's possible that the people behind the Stration worm are playing on the internet community's heightened concern while they are left unprotected by Microsoft, and may be able to fool innocent users into rushing into running the malicious update.
"The lesson to learn is that you should only ever get your security patches from the vendors' official website, not from an unsolicited email."
About the Author:
Jason is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. He covers business, technology, and security issues.
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