Worm hits polytech network

The world's most virulent internet bug has wormed its way into the Whitireia Polytechnic computer network just as students return to their studies.

The Conficker worm, which has infected up to 10 million personal computers worldwide and hit the Health Ministry last month, was introduced on to a student computer at the polytechnic's Porirua campus last Wednesday.

It took hold after a student inserted a memory stick infected with the worm into a computer, quickly spreading across the network after anti-virus software failed to detect it.

The worm began harvesting passwords, a function of the worm that in the past two months has hit such varied targets as the French and British air forces, German military networks and hospitals in Britain.

The international infestation has prompted Microsoft to offer up a $US250,000 ($NZ490,000) bounty for information on writers of the worm, which allows them to spread spam, steal corporate data or even perform cyber extortion or cyber militia attacks.

Whitireia shut down internet access, including both incoming and outgoing emails.

Online services such as financials, student management, payroll, e-learning, printing and copying were all affected. Staff computers were not affected.

Outgoing emails are still down and IT staff hope the network will be fully operational by tomorrow.

A spokesman said no student, staff or business information was compromised.

New Zealand appears to have been particularly hard-hit by the worm. IBM had identified 1156 instances of infection as of January 29. Up to 90 per cent of the Health Ministry's 2000 PCs remained offline on Monday, however, most were back up Tuesday. The ministry is reviewing security policies.

Microsoft NZ spokesman Brett Roberts said Conficker could turn computers into zombies, allowing them to be controlled remotely.

"It's a serious worm and it does represent quite a major security concern for organisations," he said.

Mr Roberts said the worm infected computers and networks with out-of-date firewalls and spyware.

- © Fairfax NZ News