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CNN Live At Daybreak

FBI Monitoring Code Red Virus Threat

Aired August 01, 2001 - 07:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We go to the threat to computers worldwide by the code red worm. That tops the hour.

The FBI is still monitoring the situation. The worm, as you know by now, is designed to disrupt traffic on the Internet.

CNN.com technology editor, though, Daniel Sieberg has been monitoring the situation worldwide overnight.

Daniel, what did you find out? Did the worm actually strike last night?

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN INTERACTIVE: Good morning, Carol.

Here is what we know so far. The worm did begin to start propagating itself last night about the time they expected it to, which was 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Now, the effect on the Internet has been almost negligible. Internet uses aren't going to notice the Internet slowing down. They are not going to have problems getting into their sites this morning. But computer experts warn that it is too early to sound the all clear to say that the worm itself poses no threat.

The last time it went out, which was about a couple of weeks ago, it took nearly a week for them to confirm that it didn't do any serious damage or to at least assess what damage that it had done.

So right now, they are still looking at it. It's too early to say that it's anti-climatic.

LIN: But it feels anti-climatic. I mean, you remember the big build up to Y2K. Is this a similar situation, where it was all hype and really no danger?

SIEBERG: It is very similar. In fact, the last time with Y2K, there was a date -- there was a set date where they knew that this bug was supposed to happen -- this Y2K bug. Same case with the code red worm. They had a particular date where they knew it was going to start sending itself out.

So when nothing happens, after putting out lots of warnings and letting people know what they need to do, that's when people say, well, maybe it was just hype. Maybe it was over hyped. But maybe it was because these companies put the right patch in place. They were prepared, and the warnings went out in time.

So it's very hard to say right now which was the case.

LIN: But what you're saying right now is that the danger is not over -- that you're going to be watching this evolve through the day.

SIEBERG: Right. Through the day, and in fact, through the week. It really depends on which computers have updated their systems. Today as people go into work, there maybe more of the load on the Internet. And that's going to really determine, you know, what has happened, and what we could see happen in the coming days.

LIN: But you're saying people generally won't notice the slower traffic.

SIEBERG: Generally -- right. The average user generally is not going to notice. System professionals are going to go in now and see what has happened and assess what, you know, what could come in the coming days.

LIN: All right. We'll keep our fingers crossed. Thank you very much, Daniel.

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