Microsoft Hotmail Servers Invaded by Code Red Worm
Thursday August 9 5:32 PM ET
dailynews.yahoo.com
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - After weeks
of urging the public to patch computers
running its software to prevent Code Red
infections, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT -
news) found on Thursday that its own servers
needed de-worming.
Some Web servers that host Microsoft
Network's Hotmail, the free Web-based e-mail service, were found to
be infected with one of the two Code Red worms, Microsoft
spokesman Jim Desler said on Thursday.
``No customer data was compromised and there was no impact in
performance or security,'' said Desler. ``We've been vigilant in scanning
systems. This underscores the continued threat posed by Code Red.''
The worm spreads through a hole in the Microsoft Web server
software running on Windows NT and 2000 computers. Code Red II
spreads faster and leaves a ``backdoor'' on infected machines, making
them vulnerable to future hacking.
On Wednesday, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft released a new
tool that can be used to clean up infected computers. The tool can be
downloaded from (http://www.microsoft.com/security).
Memphis-based FedEx Corp., which uses the Internet to place orders and track packages en route
to delivery, also had computers infected by Code Red, (NYSE:FDX - news) a spokesman said on
Thursday.
``We had a few problems but nothing we weren't able to quickly fix,'' said FedEx spokesman Jim
McCluskey. ``We're running normally now.''
The worm temporarily interfered with some ``call for pickup'' orders, McCluskey said. |
