Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Fun and Games 'Confritter' Computer Virus Targets Food Blogs
Posted by Jim Ridley on Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 2:37 PM
An offshoot of the dreaded "Conficker" computer virus has reportedly been identified that targets only food blogs. Dubbed "Confritter," the virus' origin is unknown, but software security experts claim that its code infects sites devoted to food and recipe talk.
The good news is that, unlike the wide-ranging and potentially devastating Conficker, the Confritter virus affects relatively few computers. Anti-hacking researchers have been able to narrow the list of potential victims to blogs that share any of the following features:
• Use of "braise" as a noun or "heirloom" as an adjective.
• A no-knead bread recipe.
• Praise of a common ingredient, except in a brand available only by mail order from Albania.
• First-person odes to spring.
• Vacation photos.
• Wistful remembrance of a relative's cooking ability.
• Mention of a blogger who recently mentioned your blog.
• Mention of a blogger who is likely to mention your blog if you mention them.
• Amusing description of a food-impaired significant other, especially by nickname.
• Ironic acknowledgement of Top Chef, The Chopping Block or Hell's Kitchen.
• Unironic acknowledgement of Battlestar Galactica.
• Disparaging reference to Rachael Ray.
• Any variation on a sentence that begins, "The last time I ate at Nobu..."
• References to a new puppy.
• References to an old puppy.
• Or cat.
Among the sites under surveillance are cook eat FRET, Ulika Food Blog, Lannae's Food and Travel, Lesley Eats, Rachel Eats, Orangette, Strawberry Beret, Ezra Pound Cake, Michael Ruhlman, Thursday Night Smackdown and Gild the (Voodoo)Lily.
In-house IT experts assure Bites that attack can be averted simply by avoiding the words "porcini," "brisket" or "flame-roasted" over the next 24 hours.
UPDATE: Oops.
Comments (6)
Showing 1-6 of 6
like
dislike
I'm not worried as I don't think my blog has any of those particular features.
Must rush got to take my braise of heirloom porcini from Albania off the stove and walk the puppy in the glorious spring sun. Thankgod I have such a wonderful time saving recipe for no knead bread,I can whip that up in no time and still have time to flame roast the brisket, throw a dart a RR (who is pinned to the dart board)swing the cat and confit my other dog who died last night RIP - waste not want not, as my nan would say, now she was a cook, sigh.
Attaching some holiday pics and 3 links that may increase my stats.
rachel, hilarious... and hey, ummm - did you by any chance catch this???
http://www.nashvillescene.com/2009-04-02/news/born-to-run-the-highs-mdash-and-oh-so-many-lows-mdash-of-dating-a-musician/
just wondering... hehehee
