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December 21, 2004

Web Worm Uses Google To Spread

News.com reports that a web worm named Santy is utilizing Google to help it spread to web bulletin boards using the PHP scripting language.

The worm sends Google a specific search request, essentially asking for a list of vulnerable sites. Armed with the list, the worm then attempts to spread to those sites using a PHP request designed to exploit the phpBB bulletin board software.

The worm is the latest twist on using Google as an attack tool, a practice known as Google hacking. It may also be the first time that a program used Google to identify victims for an attack.

More info in this news release from Kapersky Lab.

Posted by Gary Price at December 21, 2004 3:29 PM

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