Blaster worm

Also known as W32/Lovs.an.worm.a, Win32.Poza.A, Lovsan, WORM-MSBLAST.A, W32/Blaster-A, W32/Blaster, and Worm.Win32.Lovesan. Discovered on August 11, 2003, the Blaster computer worm adversely affected Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP. The worm attempted to download the msblast.exe file to the Windows Directory and then execute it. It also attempted to conduct a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on the Microsoft Windows Update Web server to stop the user from applying a patch on his or her computer against the DCOM RPC vulnerability. Within 24 hours of its detection, Blaster had infected more than 300,000 computers. Symantec Security Response downgraded the threat of the Blaster Worm to a Category 2 from a Category 3 severity rating as of February 26, 2004.

See Also: Blackout of 2003; Computer; Denial of Service (DoS); Worm; Vulnerabilities of Computers.