'YOU ARE AN IDIOT'

NEW DELHI: PandaLabs has detected the appearance of Cisum.A, a worm whose most distinguishing characteristic is that it insults the user by displaying the following message on screen "YOU ARE AN IDIOT," while playing an MP3 audio file that repeats the same phrase.






According to the press release, Cisum.A can only spread automatically across computer networks. If a network user runs the file carrying Cisum.A, this worm copies itself under the name ProjectX.exe to the root directory of the shared drives on the computer. At the same time, it displays a window containing the text: "YOU ARE AN IDIOT," and constantly plays the aforementioned MP3 audio file the worm has previously generated on the system.





Cisum.A also ends the processes belonging to antivirus programs and other IT security applications, leaving the computer vulnerable to attack from other viruses or hackers. It also creates several entries in the Windows Registry in order to ensure that it is run whenever the computer starts up.





Even though no incidents caused by this worm have been registered, Panda Software has advised users to take precautions with any file they receive or download from the Internet and to update their antivirus software. Panda Software has made the corresponding updates available to its clients to detect and disinfect Cisum.A.