Worm targets MySQL

A new worm spreading on the Internet targets computers running the MySQL open-source database software. It has already infected thousands of Windows machines running this database.

The new threat is a new version of a common network worm named Forbot. It infects machines by exploiting loosely-secured MySQL installations running on Windows machines that are connected to the Internet. The new Forbot variant is one of the first known examples of an automated Internet threat targeting MySQL, and could infect machines running a wide range of database applications that use MySQL

The method of infection? The worm takes advantage of administrator accounts with weak or non-existent passwords. It cracks the accounts by trying values from a predefined list of around a 1,000 possible passwords.