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From: LTBH	8/31/2005 1:14:36 AM
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Cow, Gottfried et al, Been number of years since my brief encounter using an IRC program. Am trying a new game that requires use of one. Reason I quickly discontinued use years ago was due to security issues. I did a quick search on IRC vulnerability and see that as recently as 13 days ago, a new IRC threat hit that is setting records for number of PCs infected. Several snippets: ------------ IRC Vulnerability updated bookmark topic \| reload topic IM \|View profilesekhu 8/16/2005 14:28:39 Edited by sekhu - 8/17/2005 12:18:22 PM The Microsoft Plug-and-Play vulnerability exploited by the ZoTob worm has been harnessed to create an IRC bot. IRCBot-ES uses the vulnerability to spread instead of more common vectors such as Windows RPC security vulns. The attack provides evidence that virus writers are swarming around the vulnerability - which was only disclosed last week - thinking up new ways to attack vulnerable systems. Early indications are that IRCBot-ES may be more potent that ZoTob because it's easily capable of spreading around internal networks once an infected machine is plugged into a Lan. Anti-virus firm F-secure reports that one organisation has suffered widespread infection from IRCBot-ES via this mechanism. Meanwhile a further variant of ZoTob has been discovered. The clear interest from malware authors in the vulnerability underlines the need for Windows users to get patched up sooner rather than later. El Reg ---------- W32/IRCbot worm beats Sasser record Robert Jaques, Personal Computer World 2005-08-17 Security experts today raised the risk assessment to high on the recently discovered W32/IRCbot.worm!MS05-039 worm, which is also known as IRCbot.worm!MS05-039. ------------ Description Summary Description Recovery This section helps you to understand how it behaves Troj/IRCBot-B is a backdoor Trojan which allows remote access and control over the computer via IRC channels. When first run, the Trojan moves itself to the Windows System folder as api32.exe and creates the following registry entry so that api32.exe is run automatically each time Windows is started: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\API32 = %SYSTEM%\api32.exe ------------- My Questions: 1) What is the best IRC program today? 2) What is the most secure IRC program today? 3) Is there any companion program that specifically targets blocking unauthorized access via IRC/IRC Server? Note: its my understanding that many of the suspects "steal" the server code/commands which then allows access to your PC and then it drops the infection on it. At that point your computer can then be accessed by the bad guy at their convenience. IIRC, in days goneby, these were called Zombies but do not seem to be nowadays. One of the programmer/devs for this game professes its secure nature due to their own dedicated IRC server. Seems to me they are ignoring possibility of a "gamer" also being a bad guy. Any and all comments solicited. I would like to continue playing but only if I can do so securely. LTBH

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