Latest MyDoom tells security companies how to cure virus

A new version of the Internet worm MyDoom includes a photo of Netsky worm writer Sven Jaschan and a description of the worm itself.

In the latest bizarre twist in the worm's development, authors included a detailed account of what MyDoom.Y does and how it works. This particular tactic has left antivirus vendors baffled.

"It's like they wanted to help us, which is weird," said Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research for F-Secure. "The photo could be making the point that MyDoom has won the virus war. But then again, Netsky was much more widespread than MyDoom."

The description of the virus included two signatures, Nemog and Zincite, which Hyponnen said he had seen before in backdoor code. "We don't know whether they have been planted or not," he said.

Jaschan, who was charged earlier this year by German police for creating several variants of the Netsky virus, is believed to be responsible for 70 per cent of the virus infections that plagued internet users in 2004.

Dan Ilett writes for ZDNet UK