HP USB Key Complete With Worms

Hewlett-Packard Australia has warned that optional USB flash drives shipped with some of its Proliant file servers are infected with a virus, adding attention to the growing use of USB devices as a means to spread malicious software.

The low danger worms, Fakerecy and SillyFDC, were found in a batch of 256MB and 1GB USB keys that shipped with the servers. It is undetermined how numerous infected keys, used for installing optional floppy-disc devices to file servers, were spread. An infected system in the manufacturing plant is the likely reason of the incident.

The malware spread is not viewed as an enormous threat, due in part to the low number of estimated users still utilizing floppy disk devices for data storage and that most hackers don't find the computer virus worthwhile.

There has been other reports of digital photo frames, other hardware devices, and even software media coming out of the factory with malware. AntiVirus computer software, if up to date, should detect both of the computer viruses involved in the Proliant USB attack as long the Anti-Virus software was installed after the floppy disk was added to the computer. Turning off auto-run thwarts both Fakerecy and SillyFDC and may be the advisable option.

HP's advisory, via local security clearing house AUSCert, can be found here: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=9077. The SANS Institutes's Internet Storm Centre has advice on avoiding USB malware-related risk here: http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4247.

Hardware devices departing the factory with malware is getting more common these days, increasing the motivation for strong security. For a limited time, you can obtain free anti virus protection.

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Christopher is a security consultant for Lexan Systems L.L.C and founder of MX Police. For a limited time you can obtain free anti virus protection. You are welcome to reproduce this article on Computer Security related web site, as long as you reproduce the article in full, including this resource box and links to our websites.

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