Dan Kaplan April 06, 2009

Microsoft researchers are warning of a new malware variant that has been customized to exploit the same vulnerability as the notorious Conficker worm.

The Neeris worm, which has been circulating for about four years, now is copycatting the infectious Conficker worm, according to a Friday blog post from researchers Ziv Mador and Aaron Putnam. A new Neeris variant began popping up last week -- this one customized to exploit the same Windows Server service vulnerability as Conficker. That flaw was patched last October by security bulletin MS08-067.

The similarities between Neeris and Conficker don't end there. The researchers said Neeris, like Conficker, also can spread via AutoRun, a Windows feature that enables files or programs to immediately run when a removable media device, such as a USB stick or CD-ROM, is connected to a computer. Many experts attribute this propagation method to the precipitous rise of Conficker infections earlier this year.

Continued @ SCMagazine