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Shortly before a Microsoft executive told Congress about its computer-security efforts, the software giant Wednesday said it may be vulnerable to a new Internet virus. Security experts said the new flaw is similar to those exploited by the Blaster virus, which infected thousands of computers and caused millions of dollars in damage last month. Microsoft advised customers to install a free patch from its Web site, www.microsoft.com.

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Security experts said the new flaw is similar to those exploited by the Blaster virus, which infected thousands of computers and caused millions of dollars in damage last month. Microsoft advised customers to install a free patch from its Web site, www.microsoft.com.


"Microsoft is committed to continuing to strengthen our software to make it less vulnerable to attack," Phil Reitinger, the company's senior security strategist, told members of the House Government Reform technology subcommittee. He acknowledged, however, "There is no such thing as completely secure software."


The timing of the disclosure underscored a growing concern among lawmakers and computer experts that an outbreak of virulent computer attacks will not only harm businesses and consumers, but cripple government agencies.


Computer viruses and worms slithered their way into several government agencies, including the CIA (news - web sites), Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) and the Department of Agriculture, last month, incapacitating hundreds of PCs, sources told USA TODAY.


The CIA downplayed its attack. It said the Nachi virus infected a small number of external, unclassified computers temporarily last month, and they were quickly repaired. The classified computer system was not affected.


The EPA was hit by Blaster, SoBig.F virus and Welchia worm at the same time, resulting in tech staff spending most of its time cleaning infected PCs, says Kim Nelson, chief information officer of the EPA.


During Wednesday's hearing, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) said the computer attacks in August hobbled the House of Representatives' e-mail system and "likely inhibited our nation's ability to adequately respond to the vast power outage" this summer.


With more virulent computer attacks cropping up and more expected, computer users are at high risk, as is the Internet, a vital conduit of commerce and communication for about 150 million Americans.


"Our society is becoming more dependent on information technology, yet we do not take the steps to protect those cyber assets to the same degree as we have our physical assets," Symantec President John Schwarz told the subcommittee. He says Symantec, the leading anti-virus company, is identifying 450 new viruses a month, many of them deemed high risk.


Still, federal agencies have been slow to react. "You almost need a cyber-equivalent of 9-11 to change the complacent attitude of the federal government," says Rick Forno, an IT consultant who helped set up the information security program for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996.


"We take physical and computer security seriously," says David Wray, a Homeland Security spokesman. He said the department is close to naming the chief of the national cybersecurity division, who would oversee computer security among all government agencies for the first time.






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