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www.dailygamecock.com _MONDAY, AUGUST 25,2003_ Since 1908 .Worms infest university network PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK j Stephanie Powell, a second-year nursing student, visits I Computer Services to rid her processor of the Blaster worm. Computer services receives more than 1,000 calls after students lose Internet as worms, viruses clog system JON TURNER THK CAMECOCK It’s unusual for USC’s Computer Services office to re ceive more than 900 phone calls in a day. Yet on Thursday, the Internet help desk received more than 1,100 calls from students and faculty after e-mail viruses and computer worms swept through the university network, almost stopping the flow of data. Melissa Javier, a first-year po litical science student, said her Internet connection has been dys functional for several days. “It’s really inconvenienced me. because I’m a freshman and I’d like to talk to my friends and fam ily and use my e-mail,” she said. Such worms as Blaster and Nachi and a new virus, Sobig, are loose on the Internet. Students brought the worms and viruses back with them when they con nected their computers to the USC network, Computer Services staffers said. USC’s Computer Services staff has been working overtime to fight the spread of the virulent worms. “Universities are especially hit with it because, you know, we have 6,000 students coming in one week,” said Ronni Wilkinson, the infor mation technology security officer. Universities, businesses and government organizations world wide are being hit hard by the epi demics. “Sobig hurt the administrative e-mail system,” Wilkinson said, “but none hurt the main systems like VIP or the registration sys tem.” Sobig, an e-mail virus, was dis uuvei eu duuui a. week ago. It comes in an at tachment and, when download ed, searches through-a com puter’s address book and sends a copy of itself to each of these addresses. By spread ing rapidly, it can overload such mail systems as the university’s Gamecock e-mail (GEM). About a month ago, a vulnera bility was discovered in some Microsoft software, specifically, ev ery Windows operating system af ter ‘98. Microsoft quickly released a downloadable patch to mend the problem, but the response wasn’t fast or comprehensive enough to prevent the spread of Blaster, a worm that dogs network data transfers and copies itself onto ev ery computer it can find. The biggest visible symptom of Blaster is a continual pop-up mes sage saying that the computer is going to turn off “in one minute.” Blaster hit USCat about 10 p.m. last Thursday. The next worm, Nachi, exploits the same weakness as Blaster to spread; however, Nachi deletes the Blaster worm and downloads the Microsoft patch. positive ef fects, Nachi has an even worse net work-clogging effect than Blaster. Moreover, it’s much harder to detect than its predecessor. At least one variant of the virus was also programmed with an ex piration date, Jan. 1,2004. So, an easy way to get rid of some ver sions is to set a computer to 2004 and reboot it, causing the virus to delete itself. “The first afternoon Nachi hit, it almost stopped our Internet con nection,” Wilkinson said. “All the switches in the dorms can’t pro cess it fast enough.” She said it was normal for about 250 to 500 packets of ♦ WORM, SEE PAGE 4 “The first afternoon Nachi hit, it almost stopped our Internet connection” RONNI WILKINSON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY OFFICER Business school gets high ranking BY ALEXIS STRATTON AND MICHAEL LAFORGIA .THE (iAMECOCK The Moore School of Business and USC’s first-year programs were recognized alongside pro grams of Harvard, Princeton and other universities in the U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges Guide,” which hits newsstands today. Carolina’s first-year programs, which were ranked No. 1 nation ally in last year’s guide, were list ed this year under the heading “Programs to look for.” “It will tell current students as well as future students that the University of South Carolina cares about its first-year students and has a program that is dedicated to their success,” said Mary Stuart Hunter, director of USC’s National Resource Center for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition. Dan Berman, director of Carolina’s acclaimed University 101 program, said he is proud of the attention the university’s first year programs have received, but that he isn’t surprised about it. “We feel that we probably are the most caring and the most con cerned first-year program in the country,” he said. “We really want our students to succeed, and oth er schools know what we do.” In addition, USC’s international business department was ranked No. 1 in the undergraduate inter national business category. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Custodians take time for own Olympic games BY Z ANNE COVELL THK (JAMECOCK USC’s first Custodial Olympics, held Friday in the Blatt Physical Education Center, gave university custodians a respite from their ev eryday duties. The event was sponsored by Sertoma, a civic organization that sponsors such projects to Deneut the community. Ron Farkas, pres ident of Columbia’s North Lake Sertoma club, said the Custodial Olympics reflect a wave of custo dial recognition spreading across the nation. “There have been a number of ♦ OLYMPICS, SEE PAGE 2 Index Comics and Crossword 8 Classifieds _ 11 Horoscopes 8 ^ Letters to the Editor 5 Online Poll 5 Police Report 3 Weather TODAY | TOMORROW iji High 94 High 93 Low 71 Low 71 wmmmmmmmmmmm In This Issue ♦ NEWS Local organization lobbies for legalization. Page 2 ♦ VIEWPOINTS Anna Lake tells why school is her vacation. Page 5 ♦ THE MIX The newGMP shocks and amazes. USC students sound off on the revamped Grand Marketplace. Page 6 ♦SPORTS The SEC strives to get back on top in college football. Page 9 —r -— ‘Legalize it’ PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK Marijuana legalization supporters rally outside the State House on Friday waving signs as drivers honk while passing. * PRO-MARIJUANA GROUP NORML HOLDS RALLY TO EDUCATE ABOUT THE DRUG, PAGE 2 Sororities welcome new members BY KEVIN FELLNER THE GAMECOCK It’s not every day that hun dreds of sorority girls flood the Horseshoe reciting cheers and handing out memberships to a new class of female freshmen. But on an overcast Sunday afternoon, they arrived sporting brightly colored shirts with prominent Greek letters and ready for Bid Day 2003. It’s the culmination of Rush Week. It’s a time for hundreds of eager freshman students to open their envelopes in front of McKissick Museum to find out which sorority has invited them for membership and then sprint across the Horseshoe toward Sumter Street to the open arms of their new sisters. “I’ve been working out at the Strom Thurmond Center all » week,” said first-year nursing stu dent and potential new member Mary Ellen Horn, who vowed be forehand to be the first one to reach her new sisters. “It was exciting and a little bit reckless not knowing where you’re going,” said first-year busi ness student Kim Perlick, who had been accepted to Alpha Chi Omega just moments earlier. “It definitely pumps you up when you’re running toward them,” she said. Sorority members huddled to gether behind signs and under balloons matching their shirts as much as an hour before the po tential new members opened their envelopes. The groups were strewn well past the Maxcy Monument. Many of the sororities sustain friendly rivalries from year to year, and nearly every member strives to pump the crowd up the most. “We are the loudest and most spirited sorority out here,” boasted fourth-year English stu dent and Alpha Delta Pi member Katie Glaze, even though other sororities were making the same claim. Glaze said much of the group’s spirit this year stemmed from them accepting their largest group ever with 70 new members. Since students went through a series of interviews and parties throughout the past week, many were relieved to s^e it end and were ready to focus on school work. “You get to let the girls know what your philanthropy is and what your sisterhood is about,” said Anna Rasmussen, a second year business student and Alpha ♦ BID DAY, SEE PAGE 3 “You get to let the girls know what your philanthropy is and what your sisterhood is about. We get to meet tons of them, as many as possible, and then try to get a feel for what they’re like and if they would fit in.” ANNA RASMUSSEN SECOND-YEAR BUSINESS STUDENT AND ALPHA CHI OMEGA MEMBER