Computer virus disrupts Caterpillar

[Judi Lynn]

Business News


Computer virus disrupts Caterpillar
Aug 16, 2005, 16:59 GMT


PEORIA, IL, United States (UPI) -- Computer viruses attacked heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. and other major U.S. businesses and temporarily disrupted Caterpillar`s operations.

A Caterpillar spokesman told the Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star "a small number of viruses" during the weekend disrupted computers with Windows operating systems.

The unspecified computer disruption that affected other global companies was repaired Monday, the spokesman for the Peoria-based company said.

"The impact of the issue on Caterpillar production and office facilities is still being assessed," the spokesman said.
(snip/...)

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/business/article_1041681.php/Computer_virus_disrupts_Caterpillar

[Ripley]

1. Wasn't the Sack of Shit just there signing something?

Everything he touches....

[Burried News]

2. That's a shame. Is it named Rachel Won?

[meganmonkey]

3. ...

:o

[Judi Lynn]

4. It damned well should be! n/t

[Zorra]

5. Isn't Cat a pretty big manufacturer of defense related products? n/t

[Kolesar]

6. No

they make butterflies

[SpiralHawk]

10. And they smoke hookahs, too, according to my sources

eom

[Kolesar]

11. Cosmic ...eom...

[Burried News]

9. They are selling huge backhoes that are being used to demolish

houses in the West Bank. Google Lutheran Divestment and Presbyterian Divestment for more info.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. I am a Caterpillar shareholder

CAT builds earthmoving and construction equipment. It can be used to build a mess hall, it can be used to build a stadium, it can be used to build a school.... The decision of how it is to be used is up the the owner.

The generators at Ground Zero had "Caterpillar" painted on the sides in big letters.

You might as well ask of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, "aren't they used in nuclear weapons plants?"

I sleep well at night.

[Kolesar]

14. "There are no simple solutions, only intelligent choices"

Caterpillar used to run that ad in National Geographic in the 1960s to assuage readers who had angst about the way those bulldozers were used to bust up the countryside to build freeways and developments. I was quite young when I read those ads and their meaning did not become clear to me until I contemplated it as a "messaging campaign" in my adulthood.

So, if Dad had bought me $1000 of CAT shares in 1960, would I be able to retire by now?

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

7. My dad...

who works at CAT was unable to access e-mail all of yesterday. He said that the company was expected to lose oodles of money in lost productivity, since it was basically shut down.

[jaxx]

8. Friend who works in Peoria Cat plant said 1st shift was down all day.

They were told 2 viruses caused the damage. Whatever they sent no one home so the 8 hour shift was paid......there will be a lot of $$$ damage along with the puters.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. Actually...

...several large companies were hit yesterday. Many companies are being targeted.

[Tesha]

15. Someday, *SOMEONE* will get the balls to sue Microsoft...

Someday, *SOMEONE* will get the balls to sue Microsoft for selling
a product which is patently unfit for the purpose for which it was
sold.

Tesha

[boredofeducation]

16. How is that Microsoft's problem?

How is that Microsoft's problem that System admins don't keep their software updated? Worms and exploits did not start on Microsoft Software, the first worm infected Unix systems, you know what 30 year old operating system the Couch Admins tout as the most secure thing on the planet.

[Tesha]

17. It's Microsoft's problem that the software was vulnerable in the 1st place

It is Microsoft's problem that the software was vulnerable in the first place. And the second. And the third. And the ninety-seventh. And the ninety-eighth. ...

They sold software which was *NOT* designed with adequate software
engineering discipline applied. ...Software that was positively
*RIDDLED* with bugs and exploitable holes. And some day, they
should be held accountable for the billions in dollars of agrregate
business losses that their awful software has caused/cost..

This isn't just a question of failingto apply a patch or two. Even
after many, many patches, their software is still vastly vulnerable.

Tesha

[GregW]

18. If it's so riddled ... then why didn't I get hit?

Why didn't any of my friends get hit?

Why have I never been hit by a worm, trojan, virus, or blended threat?

Gee ... maybe it's because I stay aware and practice good i-security.

Oh, let me guess, I'm supposed to buy a Mac.

[Tesha]

19. Maybe you're lucky. Maybe the *NEXT* one will get you.

Maybe your system is so bogged down by spyware and malware that
there are no computes left to process the virii and worms?

Tesha