BT denies Code Red caused network meltdown

BT has hit back at reports that yesterday's meltdown of its directory enquiries networks was caused by a Code Red virus attack.

However, the telco admitted to vnunet.com that the blunder actually resulted from the defensive measures it has put in place to prevent security breaches.

"All the defensive measures we put in place caused a slowdown in intranet traffic," a BT spokesman said.

"In light of the Code Red virus we stepped up defences on the network. We had antivirus programs in place and there was no infection in the core data systems. The virus didn't affect the internal systems directly."

He added that although the systems were not knocked offline, the traffic jam was enough to lock up directory systems and force operators to resort to manual means of finding numbers.

Paul Rogers, network analyst at security firm MIS, said the telco was probably using Code Red as an excuse for another systems failure.

"BT has basically cornered itself by admitting to some security blunder," he said.

"It looks like something it won't reveal has affected the network, and it has been blamed on Code Red because it's a bit of a media buzzword at the moment."

Rogers went on to speculate that it would be unlikely, or extremely inept, for BT's internal networks to fall victim to a virus like Code Red. "Code Red attacks web servers," he said. "If it has also gained access to the internal network, presumably from an infected web server, then there is evidently a weakness in the company's security infrastructure."