LOCAL Internet providers yesterday said they have already blocked the new Internet worm, which takes advantage of a Windows operating system and leaves flaws that can significantly affect networks.

At the same time, international authorities continued their investigations to find the source of the worm, called Sasser.

Sasser inadvertently shuts down computers using Windows XP and 2000 software. First identified Friday, it is said to have affected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide.

Microsoft, the world's largest software provider, issued a patch for the worm on Sunday.

"There is already an update," said Romain Lovindeer, system administrator at Infochannel, a local Internet service provider (ISP). "And our network would not be affected as our servers check for updates once an hour."

Others said that even if no patch were found, firewalls would have restricted the worm from entering the networks.

"A provider can block the ports affected by the worm.
Providers who block these ports at the edge of the network are fine but the users and customers should be using firewalls as well," said Stephen Knight, chief tech officer at Emoquad, another local ISP.

And Cable & Wireless, the nation's largest Internet provider, said its network had not been affected.

Microsoft has launched investigations in order to prosecute those responsible for the worm.

"Microsoft is working closely with law enforcement authorities, including the Northwest CyberCrime Taskforce, a joint effort between the FBI and US Secret Service, to forensically analyse the malicious code in Sasser..., to identify and bring to justice those responsible for this malicious activity," said Microsoft in a release on its website Sunday.

Among Sasser's victims was Finland's third largest bank, Sampo, which closed 120 of its offices for a few hours as a precaution yesterday while technicians updated anti-virus programs. E-banking services and the bank's automated teller machines worked normally.

The Observer was unable to ascertain, yesterday, if local banking systems had been affected.

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