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Subject: Distributed.net / Symantec
Name:
 HalOfBorg
Date: 3/23/2001 5:58:48 AM (GMT-7)
IP Address: 208.50.95.185
Message:
From Symantec:
One Internet worm with an interesting origin is W32.HLLW.Bymer. It spreads by randomly searching IP addresses for Windows computers with shared network drives.
This story begins with a company called Distributed.net, who uses distributed processing to solve complex mathematical and scientific
problems. Distributed.net provides a program named Dnetc.exe to install on your computer. Once installed, Dnetc.exe directs your computer's unused processing power to solve these problems. As an incentive, Distributed.net offers monetary prizes to those who solve the problems. By directing more computing power towards solving a
problem, you have a better chance of winning the cash prize.
The W32.HLLW.Bymer worm was designed to infect your computer and direct your unused processing power to Distributed.net. When the infected computer contacts Distributed.net, it credits the author of the worm for contributing the processing power. In this way, the author of the worm has in effect multiplied his processing power and increased his chance of winning the cash prize.
Once this was discovered, Distributed.net made changes to its data collection process, which nullified the credit to the worm's author. For more information about Distributed.net and distributed processing, visit the following Internet address:
http://distributed.net/
An excellent source of information about worms using Dnetc.exe can be found at the following Distributed.net Web site:
http://distributed.net/trojans.html.en
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