Virus Attacks Computers at CNN, ABC

A computer virus shut down machines at Time Warner Inc.’s CNN and Walt Disney Co.’s ABC network Tuesday.

CNN spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg confirmed computer failures in Atlanta and New York. ABC computers on the East and West coasts were affected, spokesman Jeff Schneider said.

The Zotob computer worm has been spreading since Sunday, affecting machines running Microsoft Corp. operating systems including Windows 2000 and XP, according to anti-virus software maker Symantec Corp. Symantec rates Zotob, of which there are four variants, a 2, or “low” in severity, with 5 being the highest.

The worm takes advantage of a Windows flaw that Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft disclosed Aug. 9 along with a software update to fix the flaw.

The time between the disclosure of a flaw and the creation of a worm or computer virus that takes advantage of the hole has been decreasing from months to days over the last four years. That has made it more important for Windows customers to apply software updates quickly after the disclosure of security holes.

A patch for the security hole is available at www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS05-039.mspx.

Microsoft has been working for two years to boost the security of its Windows operating system, training engineers to avoid common flaws and holding off development of its next Windows product to release a security overhaul to 2001’s Windows XP in August 2004.