Zotob Worm spreading massively

In Sunday's entry, I wrote about the latest worm — I also wrote about it in my <a href="http://www.thenextwindow.com/exit.php?url_id=556&amp;entry_id=122" title="http://www.terryscomputertips.com/archives/newsletter_20050815.php" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.terryscomputertips.com/archives/newsletter_20050815.php';return true;" onmouseout="window.status='';return true;">newsletter</a>, which was published on Monday, warning readers to get patched before it was too late.<br />
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It looks like way, way too many folks aren't doing their Windows updates automatically or fast enough.<br />
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Today (Tuesday), CNN reported that CNN, ABC, The New York Times were hit by Zotob. According to the <a href="http://www.thenextwindow.com/exit.php?url_id=557&amp;entry_id=122" title="http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/08/16/computer.worm/index.html" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/08/16/computer.worm/index.html';return true;" onmouseout="window.status='';return true;">CNN article</a>, the worm primarily affects Windows 2000 systems and <b>early</b> versions of Windows XP. <br />
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One other kicker in the article — there are several versions of the Zotob worm circulating. This means that Antivirus programs aren't going to be updated fast enough to prevent the infections. You have to patch Windows to prevent infection.<br />
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Play it safe — <b>if you haven't done your Windows Updates yet, do them now</b>.<br />
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By the way, Microsoft has now made the "Microsoft Genuine Advantage" validation tool <b>mandatory</b> in order to do your Windows Updates. That tool, which does not appear to have any advantages for anyone other than Microsoft, makes sure you are not running a pirated copy of Windows.<br />
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<b>You will have to run Windows Updates twice — once to install the validator and confirm your Windows OS is not a pirated copy, and again to get the real security patches you need.</b><br />
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<i>Thanks a lot, Microsoft, for your perfect timing.</i><br />