'Friendly' Worms Could Spread Software Fixes

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft researchers are working out the perfect strategies for worms to spread through networks. Their goal is to distribute software patches and other friendly information via virus, reducing load on servers. This raises the prospect of worm races — deploying a whitehat worm to spread a fix faster than a new attacking worm can reach vulnerable machines."

A viral implementation of Windows Update?

[lawaetf1]

"A friendly worm updated your computer which required a reboot."

Re:Annnndddd... Well, these worm

[davidsyes]

their way into your heart, so they're heart-worming welcomes.

Re:Prior Art

[verbalcontract]

This is a very old idea. One of the earliest worm/viruses was actually of the "white-hat" variety. Nothing to see here, move along.

DUH. That's why my Norton Antivirus lights up when I click on those helpful "GET RID OF SPYWARE" ads?

I can hear it already...

[TheUni]

Customer: Something's wrong, my computer's not acting right.
Tier1 Customer Support: Ok sir, I'd be happy to help you with that. Firstly, do you have the latest Microsoft Virus(tm) installed?
Customer: Yes.
Tier1 Customer Support: OK, do you have an Antivirus installed?
Customer: Yes.
Tier1 Customer Support: Ah, that's the problem. You'll need to remove the Antivirus in order for the Virus to function correctly. It's not safe these days to be running without the latest Virii!

Re:Prior Art

[djradon]

Yeah, but this is a beautifully-summarized "plot point" on our way to the inevitable: SkyNet, or the Matrix, or whatever you want to call the rise of the machines.

Re:Prior Art

[Beardo the Bearded]

If they learn how to program from us, we'll be fine.

We can survive salt water, high EMP fields, and power outages. A computer can't handle carpet.

My money's always going to be on the meatbags.

Re:This one is different.

[mhall119]

If only it were possible to provide a list of other servers that somehow mirrored the data available on the central server....

Or, even better, a way to send requests to the same domain name to physically different servers...

I think I may be on to something here.

Re:not exactly

[howdoesth]

There's no such thing as software, I own my hardware and every single one of the 2^bignum potential states it can be in.

I can't wait...

[hoggoth]

Till the script kiddies use this delivery mechanism to bypass all security and deliver their own custom payloads.
Yay Microsoft! They have such good instincts when it comes to security!

Re:Windows Update

[calebt3]

I am touching a window right now and I don't feel unsafe. Maybe uncomfortable having to stretch all the way to ground-level while typing, but not unsafe.

Re:Prior Art

[Deanalator]

"Funny isn't it? The human was impervious to our most powerful magnetic fields, yet in the end, he succumbed to a harmless sharpened stick."

        - Chapek 9 robot general

Re:This one is different.

[OECD]

Then again, it'll never catch on. Who's ever gonna download more than 2mb anyway? The tubes would get clogged!

It's OK, Comcast will block it.

Re:Prior Art

[HTH NE1]

We need these friendly worms to patch these systems. How else than with lots of rapidly spreading, good intentioned automata are we to pave the very long road to Hell on time and under budget?