Security Researchers Debunk Atak Worm-Al Qaeda Link

A new variant of the Atak worm, initially dubbed Atak.B, has been reported by most antivirus companies. However, the buzz around the malware—with its reported connection to the terrorist group Al Qaeda—may be greater than the threat itself, security professionals observed. Security researchers generally categorized the threat level of this new variant as low, thanks in part to the minimal risk presented by the original Atak.A worm. Either variant affects only PCs running Windows 95 through Windows XP.

Initial awareness of the worm was sparked by a press release from Budapest, Romania-based Bitdefender, the trade name for Softwin SRL's antivirus product lines. In the release, a company spokesperson intimated that the worm was written by a Malaysian hacker who had once claimed he would release a potent worm should the United States attack Iraq. Some have taken this to imply a connection between the hacker and the terrorist group Al Qaeda. However, while a record of a link between the hacker and organized groups has yet to be uncovered, several antivirus companies have found no signature in the Atak.B worm leading to any particular author.

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