A computer worm, with allegedly Chinese origins and the nickname Code Red, has infected an estimated 22,000 Microsoft servers.
The Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Co-ordination Centre had posted a warning on its Web site but the virus had not been reported in the SAR yet, a spokesman said.
The worm was uncovered on July 13, according to Internet security company eEye Digital Security. After research, the firm's staff decided to call the virus Code Red because part of its intent was to deface Web pages with the words 'Hacked by Chinese!' in red letters, said the company Web site.
According to security firm Network Associates, the worm affects systems running Microsoft Index Server 2.0 and Indexing Service in Windows 2000, along with Microsoft Internet Information Services. It would create a buffer flow attack - repeatedly attacking a system until it fails, and then using it to launch hits on other systems.
Abby Tang, who is with Network Associates in Hong Kong, said the worm was slow to spread at this stage. 'We don't know the origin, but it's pointed to Chinese,' she said.
Network Associates did not know if it only affected English-language versions of Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 systems.
Reports said the worm would not deface sites or propagate on non-English-language versions. Ms Tang's Internet security company called it W32/Bady.worm after part of the defacement text.