Google Orkut Visited by a Worm!

Techtree News Staff, Dec 20, 2007 1255 hrs IST

While the intruder's been reined-in now, for a while the invasion threatened to spiral out of control with some 100 additional members getting infected per minute.

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Orkut's been invaded by a relatively harmless worm -- a worm nevertheless!

While the intruder's been reined-in now, for a while the invasion threatened to spiral out of control with some 100 additional members getting infected per minute.

The modus operandi of the worm was simple. Some Orkut users got an email informing them they'd been sent a new scrapbook entry on their profile. They had to only view the profile to get added to the group named, "Infectados pelo V rus do Orkut", which is Portuguese for 'infected by the Orkut virus'.

The worm got discussed in Google's Orkut help group, and Orkut Plus, a site that offers Orkut security tips.

It is learnt however that the worm is relatively harmless, and seems to have been perpetrated only to show how dangerous Orkut can prove, even without clicking on a malicious link.

More:
Hate Clubs Mushroom on Orkut

USER COMMENTS

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

by ramkumar, trichy, on Jun 16, 2009 01:43 AM, Report abuse Reply

There are may such occasions when XSS scrapbook was cracked...Still there are some orkut hacks which are depending on this scrapbook hack.. You can see more about these worms here : http://orkutunderworld.blogspot.com/search/label/hacking

by Anique Akhtar, bahawalpur, on Dec 29, 2007 07:30 PM, Report abuse Reply

Hola le amigos. I is not knowing Orkut right now hommies. Why would I want to use this system unless I wants to meet Indians, Pakistanis & Bangladeshis. I do not have time for all this hommies, I is a very busy man. My Ex-GF tolds me to get Orkut account coz she was from the BRA-zil. I haves the Orkut account but I is not going to use it. The only reason my Ex-GF wanted me to get Orkut account was Because she was wanting me to put my "Worm" in her "Backdoor". Later hommies adios amigos.

by Fernando Alonso, Oviedo,Espana [Spain], on Dec 23, 2007 01:50 AM, Report abuse Reply

yeah rgt...u dnt hv time,thts why u wrote the longest comment here.so long gangsta wannabe...

by tinku-tinki, tare ameen per, on Dec 28, 2007 12:44 PM, Report abuse

As explained at: http://c0d3w12.blogspot.com/2007/12/orkut-xss-worm.html

by c0d3w12, San Diego, on Dec 28, 2007 01:58 AM, Report abuse Reply

I have symantec AV. So no one can infect me !! This is not atall a big deal

by Shonti, Kolkata, on Dec 21, 2007 06:09 AM, Report abuse Reply

Any dedicated attack can breach that. It will only protect you against random infections.

by A hacker, portugal, on Dec 21, 2007 08:43 AM, Report abuse

yah its corretc if u act smart..no one can attack u no virus or hacker.. and eben if it attack in the least case..if u r smart enough it will not be able to create havoc...bcoz smart ppl keep things smart in there pcs.....

by tukli, Chandigarh, on Dec 21, 2007 08:35 PM, Report abuse

@tukli well said smartypants!!! dint knw smart ppl boasted around though!!

by slayer, delhi, on Dec 27, 2007 12:18 PM, Report abuse

very useful information. for users. showed how orkut could be dangerous

by manoov, chennai, on Dec 20, 2007 02:24 PM, Report abuse Reply

correctin...orkut wasn't dangerous. only vulnerale to spreading of the worm. it's very misleading to say things like "orkut is dangerous" just bcos someone exploited it to spread a worm.

by Sandeep, Chennai, on Dec 20, 2007 10:37 PM, Report abuse

I completely Agree with Sudeep.. If you think its "Dangerous" then in that case Windows is the Most Dangerous Os ever..& for that matter what is 100% secure? everything invovles Risk...Just because a loop hole is found doesn't mean its truly Dangerous...

by Gadgetguy, hyderabad, on Dec 21, 2007 02:57 AM, Report abuse

One can improve the security, but can not implement 100% security. Remember one thing, 'Nothing is impossible in this cyber world' There are more people to break the security then the ones who are implementing it. Never boast of your anti-virus, bcauz they themselves spread most of the viruses, otherwise their product will not get sold in the market.

by Your Friend, Cyber City, on Dec 21, 2007 11:22 AM, Report abuse