Virus affects computers in Engineering Building, spreads through flash drives
Erika Helmerichs
Issue date: 9/18/08 Section: News
Last week, officials in the School of Engineering discovered a computer virus affecting 27 of the 421 faculty and student machines in the Engineering Building, according to Jennifer Vandever, interim associate vice chancellor for Information Technology.
The virus, called "Bindo," is carried and spread through the use of flash drives inserted into the USB ports of the infected computers..
"When you put the flash drive into an infected computer, you infect the drive as well," Vandever said. "The next computer that flash drive goes into will develop infected files too."
This potentially harmful virus was first reported on Sept. 8, and there have been no reports of it since Sept. 10, according to Beth Forsythe, assistant director of public affairs.
"It's been a challenge," Forsythe said. "More than 200 students go through the labs in the engineering building each day."
Vandever said this virus could go completely undetected by students, as it does not damage or hinder the use of any of the files being stored on these USB memory devices.
"The virus creates a backdoor," Vandever said. "It allows someone to access your computer without your consent."
Forsythe said infected computers could appear clean, but still "hide" the virus internally.
"Since the outbreak, the auto-run feature in the system has been disabled from all computers on campus," Forsythe said. "By disabling this function, none of the on-campus computers are susceptible to the virus any longer."
The only reported infected computers were located in the Engineering Building, Forsythe said, and it is now "highly unlikely" any more computers at SIUE will receive the virus.
In order to ensure the Bindo virus remains absent from all SIUE and home PCs, Vandever said any student or faculty member who has used a flash drive in the Engineering Building this semester should get their device scanned and cleaned at one of two stations set up by SIUE Information Technology.
The virus, called "Bindo," is carried and spread through the use of flash drives inserted into the USB ports of the infected computers..
"When you put the flash drive into an infected computer, you infect the drive as well," Vandever said. "The next computer that flash drive goes into will develop infected files too."
This potentially harmful virus was first reported on Sept. 8, and there have been no reports of it since Sept. 10, according to Beth Forsythe, assistant director of public affairs.
"It's been a challenge," Forsythe said. "More than 200 students go through the labs in the engineering building each day."
Vandever said this virus could go completely undetected by students, as it does not damage or hinder the use of any of the files being stored on these USB memory devices.
"The virus creates a backdoor," Vandever said. "It allows someone to access your computer without your consent."
Forsythe said infected computers could appear clean, but still "hide" the virus internally.
"Since the outbreak, the auto-run feature in the system has been disabled from all computers on campus," Forsythe said. "By disabling this function, none of the on-campus computers are susceptible to the virus any longer."
The only reported infected computers were located in the Engineering Building, Forsythe said, and it is now "highly unlikely" any more computers at SIUE will receive the virus.
In order to ensure the Bindo virus remains absent from all SIUE and home PCs, Vandever said any student or faculty member who has used a flash drive in the Engineering Building this semester should get their device scanned and cleaned at one of two stations set up by SIUE Information Technology.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Virus Removal Memphis
posted 10/07/08 @ 11:43 AM CST
These things happen! Someone wants to show off their programming skills and plant a virus. Sometimes its even worse when the person who programmed the virus isn't that good and it ends up affecting other things as well and just sucks to get rid of. (Continued…)
Post a Comment