Critical Flaw in Microsoft Windows Operating System Exposed

Aug 16, 2005 saw a large-scale computer hacking attack on multiple companies, including media outlets like Time Warner Inc.'s CNN unit, New York Times Co., and ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co. The exploitation of a newly disclosed flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system was swift, with at least six worms appearing in the past few days. The speed at which the vulnerability was exploited highlights the challenges facing computer network administrators as they attempt to patch systems before hackers can take advantage of newly disclosed holes.

Key Takeaways:

Dozens of companies were attacked by rival computer hackers, with media outlets such as CNN, New York Times, and ABC being among the hardest hit.
The worm variants targeted Windows 2000 systems that did not have the latest software patches, highlighting the importance of keeping software up-to-date.
The speed at which the vulnerability was exploited, with over 30 times faster than the previous round of attacks, demonstrates the urgency with which computer network administrators must act to patch systems.
At least six worms have appeared in the past few days, taking advantage of one of the Windows' vulnerabilities announced by Microsoft last week.
Hackers have been organizing infected machines into bot networks for use in extortion schemes, spam, and phishing attacks, with some groups competing to co-opt the largest and most powerful computers and networks for new attacks.
Companies such as Kraft Foods and United Parcel Service were also affected, with some experiencing crashes and downtime due to the worm.
Microsoft is working with makers of antivirus and other software to mitigate the spread of the worm, but could not estimate how many users had been hit.
The attack highlights the need for companies to prioritize software patching and cybersecurity measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Statistics:

At least 6 worms appeared in the past few days, taking advantage of newly disclosed vulnerabilities in Windows operating system.
The attack spread at a rate of one new machine a second, or 30 times faster than the earlier round.
At least 13 of DaimlerChrysler AG's manufacturing plants were affected, with 5 to 50 minutes of downtime.
The worm variants specifically targeted Windows 2000 systems that did not have the latest software patches.
CNN experienced a 1-hour downtime due to the worm, forcing them to telecast from Washington until operations in New York could be restored.

Sources:

Dow Jones Commodities News Select via Comtex (Aug 16, 2005)
Comtex SmarTrend(SM) Alert (Aug 12, 2005)