LONDON - It has been almost three
months since infected Aids Information
disks started landing on user's desks.
Despite the high level of publicity,
users continue to ignore the warnings
install the disk and allowing the Trojan
to continue causing damage.
UK-based detective Barry Donovan predicts
there will be users who will install the
disk and then forget about it until it
triggers after 90 or so reboots. For
some users, those 90 reboots are now
up.
A representative from Michelin Tyres
in Nigeria contacted PC Business World,
UK, to request a Clearaid disk because the
virus had just triggerd on his home PC. He
said a significantly large number of disks
are in circulation in West Africa.
The US arm of Save the Children Fund offices
in Ethiopia also became a victim of the
blackmail attempt having PC's "wiped out
by the Trojan". Other US-based charities
with offices in the African continent have
reported similar attacks, despite local
media coverage and warning issued by
charities, local police forces, and wide area
networks like Usenet.
Joseph Popp, whom FBI agents arrested in
connection with the mailing, is still being
held in an Ohio prison awaiting extradition
proceedings. He has made a second court
appearance to appeal against his continued
detention in order to be medically examined.
The court, however, ruled such assessments
should be conducted in prison. According to
Scotland Yard, Popp's extradition hearing will
be held in early April.
