'Digital Viruses' Attack Rampant Across China

Home>>Sci-Edu

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 10, 2002

'Digital Viruses' Attack Rampant Across China

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

At least 80 percent of computers in China have been affected by "digital viruses,'' which increasingly spread through file downloading and Internet surfing, a computer security monitoring organization said Wednesday.

Half of the infected machines have suffered data loss, unbootable systems or difficulty in browsing the Web, the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Centre said in its latest survey.

"Only 16 per cent of computer users we sampled this year reported they were free from any virus attack, while last year, nearly one in three users said they suffered no computer infections,'' said Zhang Jian, chief engineer of the State-funded institution in Tianjin.

Along with the Ministry of Public Security and major anti-virus software suppliers, Zhang's centre conducted the one-and-half month nationwide survey, which reported that computer viruses are the major threat to network security, as more and more people -- many are not virus-conscious -- use the Internet.

Unlike last year, when the main source of computer virus came from compact and floppy disks, emails and online file swapping, Internet has increasingly become the primary channels for the spreading of infections, Zhang said.

He said the first defence to fend off a virus is to enhance computer users' safety awareness and equip them with the necessary expertise to prevent and eradicate computer infections.

He said his centre is consulting and co-operating with computer and network security service providers at home and abroad to improve training programmes for China's computer users.

In another development, Win32/Bugbear, a fast-replicating worm that has wreaked havoc on millions of computers worldwide over the past 12 days, seems not to have infected many systems in China.

"Thanks to precautious measures, we haven't received a large number of reports from affected users,'' said Zhang Shuangqiao, vice-director of the Tianjin centre.

Known as a mass-mailing worm because it spreads itself through computer users' email programs, Bugbear was first identified by a security team in Sydney on October 1, according to security software maker Symantec.

Tian Yakui, an expert with the Beijing Rising Computer Technology Co, a leading anti-virus software vendor, said major computer anti-virus programs in China have already been updated to detect and kill the Bugbear worm.

He warned computer users to be careful of viewing attachments of emails from strangers or with very alluring or suspicious subjects.

Source: China Daily contributes to this report

Questions?Comments? Click here

China on Alert for "Chinese Hacker" Virus

"Bin Laden" Virus Spreads in China

Developer Plans to Raise Titanic in Shanghai ( 2 Messages)

Fewer Slogans, More Practical, Reflect Social Changes in China ( 3 Messages)

China Opposes US Congress Committee's Interference in China's Internal Affairs ( 2 Messages)

Multinationals Fight for Chinese Markets ( 2 Messages)