Bugbear.B on the Increase Again as Businesses Return to Work
Madrid, June 9, 2003 – As Panda Software’s virus experts had predicted, the return to work on Monday saw the renewed activity of the Bugbear.B worm, which is causing one of the worst epidemics of recent times.
Despite a notable decrease in the worm’s activity over the weekend, particularly on Sunday, Bugbear.B has continued to top the list of viruses most frequently detected by the free, online scanner, Panda ActiveScan.
As business resumed on Monday, incidents involving Bugbear.B increased to some 5.31 percent (of total infections), and the worst may still lie ahead as the day progresses.
Panda Software advises all users to be on the alert and, if they have not already done so, update their antivirus solution, which Panda clients can do from the company’s website at: http://www.pandasoftware.com. Users can also detect and disinfect this and other malicious code using the free, online antivirus, Panda ActiveScan available at the same address.
Any users who suspect they may have been hit by Bugbear.B, can clean their computers using the free PQREMOVE repair utility.
Bugbear.B is an extremely dangerous worm. It has been classified as a ‘severe threat’ and has led to a ‘Red Alert’ condition, warning users that there is a high risk of being infected by the virus. Besides infecting a large number of files, Bugbear.B renders many antivirus and security programs on the affected computer unusable, leaving systems vulnerable to attacks from other viruses.
Similarly, over the last few hours, Panda Software’s international support network has detected, in Spanish-speaking countries, numerous incidents involving the new Mapson worm. In theory, this ‘run-of-the-mill’ malicious code should not have caused much trouble, as it is similar to many other worms that spread via e-mail and peer-to-peer applications. However, due to the wildfire spread of Bugbear.B, many computers may be vulnerable to attack from new malicious code of this kind, or even ‘old-enemies’ that are still doing the rounds, without users knowing.