Webcam lets you make over your video IM | News.blog | CNET News.com

Webcam lets you make over your video IM | News.blog | CNET News.com
Separate groups of hackers are releasing a barrage of worms in a battle to seize control of Windows PCs that remain vulnerable to the now infamous Windows Plug-and-Play vulnerability.

The Bozori worm attempts to remove infections by earlier versions of the Zotob worm and other malware, so it can take control of a compromised computer for itself. A family of IRC bots that exploit the same Microsoft (MS05-039) Plug and Play vulnerability likewise try to remove competing PnP bots, as explained in a diagram by Finnish anti-virus firm F-Secure here. It reckons 11 different types of malware are exploiting the vulnerability.

The upswing in malware creation - and competition between various PnP worms - echoes the competition between NetSky and Bagle worms for control of vulnerable Windows PCs that first flared up in March 2004. Then, as now, it's all about turning Windows PCs in zombie spam bots.