ramsac
ISSUES WARNING OVER 'JPEGS OF DEATH'
94%
Of The World's Internet Users At Risk From Infected Image
Files
Date: 01.10.04
ramsac, a leading IT solutions provider, is warning
companies to prepare for the latest Internet virus threat.infected
Internet images. The warning comes after the first computer
virus to be found inside a digital image was uncovered on
a pornographic website last month.
Already
being dubbed 'JPEGs of death', the infected images contain
malicious code that can damage machines, send out bulk e-mails
and even allow external hackers to take over PCs and networks.
The virus is activated when someone tries to view a page containing
the image through Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser
- used by approximately 94% of all Internet users worldwide.
"IT
consultants have been warning about this new breed of virus
for some time," says Robert May, Managing Director of ramsac.
"Companies and individuals have sufficient anti-virus protection
in place for current viral threats but malicious imagery is
a new danger, one that global business is massively under
prepared for."
Although
only one infected image has been found so far, experts believe
that it is only a matter of time before a more serious and
widespread viral attack takes place.
Adds
May: "As with any new technological discovery - good or bad
- there will most likely be a period of 'grace' while the
effectiveness and impact of the new discovery is assessed.
Companies should update their anti-virus software immediately
and look at implementing policies and procedures that minimize
the risk of infection."
Leading
anti-virus software manufacturers have already updated their
products to cover this particular virus, but May believes
smaller companies will be badly affected when the first 'serious'
attack is spread via infected image files.
Concludes
May: "It is inevitable that one of the next major computer
viruses will be spread by an infected image. As well as IT
protection, staff need to be trained on Internet usage and
if need be, policies should be introduced barring access to
inappropriate websites. Most employees are already trained
not to open attachments from unsolicited e-mails, it may be
time to transfer this level of security to Internet usage."
ramsac
is offering companies worried about their anti-virus systems,
a free IT security audit. For more information, please visit
the website at www.ramsac.com
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