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IBM Gives Malware-Infected USB Keys to Security Conference

by Amar Toor on May 21, 2010 at 05:35 PM

auscert infected with malware
If you're a hacker determined to prove your invincibility, what better place to make a statement than at high-profile event committed exclusively to information security? That's exactly what happened at this week's AusCERT conference, where, for the second time in as many years, organizers fell prey to a virus planted on USB keys handed out to delegates. "At the AusCERT conference this week, you may have collected a complimentary USB key from the IBM booth," IBM Australia chief technologist Glenn Wightwick wrote in an e-mail to attendees. "Unfortunately we have discovered that some of these USB keys contained malware and we suspect that all USB keys may be affected."

Apparently, the malware on the keys spreads whenever the USB is inserted into a Windows workstation, and then automatically runs setup.exe and autorun.ini files. Fortunately, most antivirus softwares picked up on the bug, and, as ITNews reports, IBM has provided a five-step solution for those whose devices may have already been infected.

The incident is certainly embarrassing for IBM and event organizers alike, who find themselves with egg on their faces for the second straight year. More importantly, though, the attack underscores the sad reality that no matter how sophisticated or finely tuned our digital security infrastructure, there will probably always be someone just one step ahead. Either AusCERT better prepares itself for a new round of attacks next year, or, better yet, scrap the entire USB operation. [From: ITNews]

Tags: AusCERT, australia, conference, funny, ibm, IBM Corp., IbmCorp., malware, security, top, usb, usb drive, usb key, UsbDrive, UsbKey, virus, windows

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