Code Red 'worm' finds way to Hawai'i computers

By Susan Hooper
Advertiser Staff Writer

Some Hawai'i Internet service providers said yesterday they have seen signs of the Code Red computer "worm."

High-speed Internet service provider Road Runner yesterday issued an alert to its 60,000 customers that the company had experienced an attack on its network apparently attributable to the Code Red worm.

"In general we don't spam our customers very often, but we felt in this case it was pretty important," said Kit Beuret, a security officer with Road Runner, which is marketed by Oceanic Cable.

The alert said Road Runner subscribers "may experience slow network response, flashing connectivity lights on the cable modem and other symptoms" from Code Red's impact.

Computers with Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Microsoft's Internet Information Server software are vulnerable to the Code Red worm, which installs itself on server computers.

The worm, which has infected computers worldwide, made its first appearance July 19. Earlier this week, computer security experts warned of the spread of a variant of the worm, named Code Red II.

Road Runner said it ran a check of its customers Monday night and found six who were at risk of receiving the worm, Beuret said. Those customers were called and advised to shut down their Internet information servers and run a disinfectant program to kill the worm, he said.

He said the company expected to check again last night for other vulnerable customers.

Details about recent computer viruses are available at the Road Runner Web site.

Clifton Royston, systems architect with Hawai'i Internet service provider LavaNet, said yesterday that LavaNet had warned its potentially vulnerable customers about the worm.

LavaNet has about 11,000 subscribers. Royston said there was likely only one infected server among its customers.

A Microsoft "patch" that protects against the worm is available online.