Update: obligitory slashdot link

Wow, who'd have thought this would happen? 

And before any conspiracies start... no, Microsoft didn't do it. :P

The problem is a new worm on the loose is causing a distributed attack on search engines in it's quest for new e-mail addresses to which it can send itself (my English teacher just rolled over in her grave).

Okay class... repeat after me: “I will update my anti-virus software once a week if not more often.”

News.com story...

Google, other engines hit by worm variant
By Richard Shim and Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

              
update Major Internet search engines were crippled Monday morning by a variant of the MyDoom worm, rendering Google inaccessible to many users and slowing results from Yahoo.

The attack also affected smaller engines, including Alta Vista, a Yahoo subsidiary, and Lycos.

A Lycos representative said the company is aware of the problem and is working to block the performance obstacles. A Google representative said the company was working to figure out what was happening.

FULL STORY