Unpatched systems contribute to havoc on servers as worm spreads. A flaw involving Microsoft SQL Server hit banking and airline computer networks and significantly slowed down internet traffic over the weekend. The SQL Slammer worm exploits a flaw for which a patch has been available since July of last year. It contains no damaging payload, but in its attempts to find other servers it generates vast amounts of traffic. “This is Code Red for SQL Server,” said Mark Fisher, technical manager for Trend Micro UK. “You’d imagine that most applications running on SQL are mission-critical and should have been patched as a matter of course. Now that people are back to work the number of infections should fall off rapidly.” Full Story