Dirty Dozen – Top 12 – Viruses For October 2002

Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com

Central Command, a provider of PC anti-virus software and computer security services released its monthly listing of the top twelve viruses reported for October 2002. The report, coined the “Dirty Dozen”, is based on the number of virus occurrences confirmed through Central Command’s Emergency Virus Response Team.

The list below represents the most prevalent viruses for October 2002, number one being the most frequent.

1. Worm/Klez.E (incl. G variant) 23.4%

2. Worm/BugBear 20.9%

3. W32/Yaha.E 11.5%

4. W32/Elkern.C 8.2%

5. Worm/W32.Sircam 6.0%

6. W32/Nimda 4.4%

7. W32/Magistr.B 3.8%

8. W95/CIH 3.1%

9. W95/Hybris 2.9%

10. W32/Funlove 1.4%

11. W32/Magistr.A 1.2%

12. Worm/Opasoft 0.7%

Others 12.5%

“The highlight of the month was Worm/BugBear whose fast and furious outbreak was felt by computer users worldwide,” said Steven Sundermeier product manager at Central Command. “The large
volume of submissions during its first week solidified its position in our Dirty Dozen. There was a brief period during the month where Worm/BugBear accounted for nearly 60% of all total infection reports.”

Worm/BugBear is a mass mailing Internet worm that replicates through e-mail by means of its own Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) routine and through open network shares. It contains backdoor functionalities, the ability to log keystrokes and to deactivate antivirus and firewall applications. Worm/BugBear is not to be confused with the “teddy bear” icon virus hoax that is also circulating worldwide.