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Electronic attack slows Internet
'SQL' worm like 'Code Red,' but not as serious
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A fast-moving computer worm slowed down Internet access Saturday for about 22,000 servers, according to the Internet security firm Symantec.
Oliver Friedrichs, a senior manager with Symantec, said the "SQL" worm was taking advantage of a vulnerability detected six months ago in Microsoft sequel servers, used mainly by companies to store information.
Friedrichs said businesses, rather than home users, would be affected by the worm, which was similar but not as serious as the "Code Red" worm. Code Red swept through hundreds of thousands of computers in a single day in July 2001.
"When we look at this threat compared to some of the other threats, it's not that significant," he said. "Not as many servers are affected as Code Red."
A computer worm is a program that reproduces by copying itself onto other machines, which then seek out other vulnerable computers.
Friedrichs said the SQL worm "breaks into the server and tries to spread."
"It really generates a lot of network traffic," he said. "It's really just going to slow down Internet performance."
Friedrichs said Microsoft issued "patches" to fix the vulnerabilities in its systems, which were detected in July 2001, but many companies did not install them, opening the door to the SQL worm.
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