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CATEGORIES TV RADIO COMMUNICATE WHERE I LIVE INDEX SEARCH You are in: Sci/Tech Front Page World UK UK Politics Business Sci/Tech Health Education Entertainment Talking Point In Depth AudioVideo SERVICES Daily E-mail News Ticker Mobiles/PDAs Feedback Help Low Graphics Thursday, 16 August, 2001, 14:10 GMT 15:10 UK Student spotted 'Trojan horse' hacker The 'Trojan horse' program can wipe a hard drive A computer student potentially saved businesses millions after he spotted a hacking program infecting their systems. The "Trojan horse" had already affected at least 400 companies across the world when Matthew Hillman detected it on his home PC. Mr Hillman, from the Isle of Wight, was using a global chatroom facility when the hacking program, which behaves like a virus, appeared on his machine. The 18-year-old believes he would not have seen the program, which can wipe out a hard drive, had it not been for what he has learnt on his course. You might, for instance, get sent a screensaver, which you download and it works normally - but behind that the "Trojan" has set to work Lucy Bunker, Symantec Mr Hillman immediately contacted the police on its discovery, after he traced the hacking source to a college in the USA. Hampshire Police has now passed on the details to the FBI, which is investigating. Mr Hillman said: "I initially thought it was the Code Red worm when it appeared. "It suddenly flashed up at the bottom of the screen, and simply looked like a new program that had loaded up and then minimised itself on the screen." He said that it looked very similar to the millennium edition of Microsoft's Windows operating system. "It does the same thing as Code Red, but it is more controllable, though it puts itself on the system and starts running automatically," Mr Hillman added. The FBI are investigating the "Trojan horse" hacking He believes that by not "clicking" on the icon he minimised the potential damage to his machine. He managed to establish that the "Trojan horse" had originated with a group of hackers known as Nostradam, who are thought to be electronics students. "I was also able to establish that 431 firms and organisations, across countries like America, Canada and France had already been infected by it." Take control The "Trojan horse" is one of a genre of hacking programs, according to Symantec, an internet security company. The company, based in Maidenhead, Berkshire, says it is detecting up to 20 new malicious virus-like programs a day. Lucy Bunker, the firm's security communications manager, said the "Trojan horse" is different to a virus, because it does not replicate itself once it infects a computer network. She said: "But like a virus, it can be unwittingly e-mailed by someone, and immediately start hacking in to a PC." Ms Bunker explained it could appear on someone's machine as an "innocent" program, and enable a hacker to take complete control of a machine. "You might, for instance, get sent a screensaver, which you download and it works normally - but behind that the "Trojan" has set to work," she added. More from Southampton Key stories Code Red threat tailing off Code Red cost tops $1.2bn White House dodges web virus Pentagon avoids virus threat Background Are computer viruses unstoppable? Why write computer viruses? Hackers to the honey A - Z: Hack attack Hacking: A history TALKING POINT Can hackers be stopped? See also: 06 Aug 01 | Sci/Tech New worm infects the net 31 Jul 01 | Sci/Tech Internet put on Code Red alert 01 Aug 01 | Talking Point Can the hackers be stopped? 02 Aug 01 | Sci/Tech Code Red 'was never a threat' 31 Jul 01 | Sci/Tech FBI challenged over cyber spying Internet links: Internet Security Systems Uniras Code Red status Symantec Hampshire Police UK National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre Security Focus analysis of Code Red II The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Sci/Tech stories now: Astronomy's next big thing Ancient rock points to life's origin Mobile spam on the rise Giant telescope project gets boost New hope for Aids vaccine Replace your mouse with your eye Device could detect overdose drugs Wireless internet arrives in China Links to more Sci/Tech stories are at the foot of the page. E-mail this story to a friend Links to more Sci/Tech stories In This Section Astronomy's next big thing Ancient rock points to life's origin Mobile spam on the rise Giant telescope project gets boost New hope for Aids vaccine Replace your mouse with your eye Device could detect overdose drugs Wireless internet arrives in China Chicago steals a lead on Silicon Valley Net body accused of bullying tactics Phones, tones and mobile music Skies open for UK astronomy Q&A: Astronomy super-club Artificial star enhances telescope's vision Perfect for washing and astronomy Russia plans to put people on Mars 'Windiest' farm goes live National park 'goes live' Fish policies 'ignore evolution' Europe tightens GM labelling rules Death knell for island hedgehogs Big eye on the sky Complex molecule surprises astronomers Fossil was 'first walker' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^^ Back to top News Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | In Depth | AudioVideo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To BBC Sport>> | To BBC Weather>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy