As if it weren’t enough that The New York Times just wrote a story on computer programs making architects obsolete, now it seems that computers are actually on the Architect-attack.

A new computer worm, known as ”ACAD/Medre.A,” has surfaced, and it has a very specific goal: find AutoCAD drawings, send them to China.

Find out how the worm works, and if you could be affected, after the break…

AutoCAD

AutoCAD

ESET, the technology security company that first detected and worked to eliminate the malware, described the worm as “a serious example of suspected industrial espionage,” explaining its menace in a blog post:

“Needless to say this can cost the legitimate owner of the intellectual property a lot of money as the cybercriminals will have designs before they even go into production by the original designer. The attacker may even go so far as to get patents on the product before the inventor has registered it at the patent office. The inventor may not know of the security breach until his patent claim is denied due to prior art.”

The worm just further complicates the delicate question of how to maintain intellectual property right in the information age. For now, the worm is contained, but we don’t doubt that another malware will one day take its place…

Story via ESET and Net Security