IBM has been left red-faced after distributing USB keys infected with malware to delegates at Australia's biggest computer security conference.
Big Blue was forced to send out an e-mail to all delegates at the AusCert conference warning them not to use the keys, which were doled out from its stand as a freebie item.
"At the AusCERT conference this week, you may have collected a complimentary USB key from the IBM booth," IBM Australia chief technologist Glen Wightwick wrote. "Unfortunately we have discovered that some of these USB keys contained malware and we suspect that all USB keys may be affected."
The malware, which dated to 2008, was detected by most anti-virus products, he said.
Wightwick described how to remove the malware, which spreads through Windows PCs, and instructed recipients who were having trouble to contact the IBM Security Operations team.