Worm targets memory sticks

The SillyFD-AA worm searches for removable drives such as floppy disks and USB memory sticks and creates a hidden file called autorun.inf so that a copy of the worm runs the next time the device is connected to a computer running Windows. In addition, it changes the title of Internet Explorer windows to say that the computer has been "Hacked by 1BYTE."

In an interview with eWEEK, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said the worm has not been widely distributed, and that researchers were warning the public because of the potential danger. It would be easy, he continued, to add to the worm the ability to transmit through other routes, such as e-mail and instant messaging.

"It is interesting to see hackers using different techniques in their attempt to break into peoples' computers," said Cluley, in Abingdon, United Kingdom. "This type of attack is perhaps understandable as so many businesses these days do have e-mail gateway protection in place…they can scan files coming into their company via e-mail attachments, but can't check the files coming in attached to the keychain in peoples' pockets."