The malware is known by a number of names and is contained in the setup.exe and autorun.ini files.

FORBES: IBM Distributes Malware-Infected USB Sticks At Security Conference

Last year, hard drive manufacturer Seagate admitted that some of its Maxtor drives were infected with an autorun variant.

FORBES: Magazine Article

This year, retail giant Best Buy confirmed that it sold autorun virus-infected digital picture frames under its in-house brand, Insignia.

FORBES: Magazine Article

It is spread when the infected USB device is inserted into a Microsoft Windows workstation or server whereby the setup.exe and autorun.ini files run automatically.

FORBES: IBM Distributes Malware-Infected USB Sticks At Security Conference

Ferguson says it doesn't take a Project Grey Goose to figure out that the proliferation of autorun viruses probably wasn't the result of a targeted attack.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Best Buy (nyse: BBY - news - people ) confirmed that it sold autorun virus-infected digital picture frames under its in-house brand, Insignia.

FORBES: Sneakergate

Here's how it works: When a stick carrying the malware is inserted into a USB drive, the malware lodges itself in the computer by riding piggyback on the PC's "autorun" function.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Ferguson, who started his career in the Army communications security, contends that the fact that the government has become infected with autorun malware is more a sign of poor security protocols rather than evidence of foreign intelligence gathering.

FORBES: Sneakergate