Worm Virus Warning

[Sonnie Layne]

anybody gets an email from Customer Service, generally with a message that says something about wanting your advice, it has an attachment that is infected. Don't open the attachment, or answer the email. Just delete. this thing is potentially very very deadly. I don't send these warnings lightly, as a matter of fact it's the first time I've sent the warning out, it seems the virus has found it's way into the menues of the server that hosts this site (and my own). Don't get all freaked out, just don't get curious, just hit delete.

yours,
s

[Sponsored Links]

[cx]

Damn, I think I got that thing yesterday. Fortunately I did what you suggest.

[Bud Cline]

In the past three weeks I've had five, two supposedly from Carpet One and three from other supposed flooring related origins. All asking for my opinion or my advice, and all were deleted without opening.

[Sonnie Layne]

smart guys, I just happened to get it from another source, had Norton scan it and then looked at it from DOS mode, via Norton and it was a mess. With all the crap out there, that's all we need, eh?

thanx

[Harry]

Sonny
I recieved 3 or 4 of them plus some of those "sir/cam" viruses. I have the McAfee firewall and it has saved my ass each time..... well my computer's ass at least.

Harry

[John Bridge]

Yeah, I've been getting a bunch of them asking for my advice. I block the sender and the sender changes. Bet I've had over 20, all deleted.

Sonnie, you say Glen has this?

I got the "I-Worm" about six months ago. Had to completely rebuild my system.

I've got Norton, but as you all know, it's a race between the virus makers and the anti-virus makers. Dave B. (techie/brother-in-law) has even gone so far as to wonder whether they may be one and the same. ;)

[cx]

Woah! You mean like the fireman setting fires so's he can be the he-ro? That's scary.

While we're on the subject, serious question: I have McAfee Virus Scan on my laptop machine, which was my first computer. Never got a virus that I know of, but not sure I'd know, so dense am I about these things.

Now I have a desk-top which came with Norton installed, but I haven't activated it (or subscribed, or whatever - haven't sent them any money).

Is there an advantage to one brand over the other?

Is there an advantage to having the same one on both machines if you swap files twix them twa?

Mediocre minds want to know.

[Harry]

cx .... I've often wondered the same thing regarding the fireman anology. It would surprise me if it wasn't true.

There are several brands of virus programs which probably are all just as good as the other. I chose McAfee because it was one of the first major brands I came across while serching.

As far as having 2 computers and 1 program .... it shouldn't matter if they're on the same ISP, but I'm not sure.

Harry

[Sonnie Layne]

I used McAfee years ago, when they were a shareware (maybe still are for all I know) concern, nice folks. After that I got involved with Norton's programs so intimately, mostly rebuilding clients' hard drives and caches and doing tune-ups that I just kinda stuck with his stuff.

I had a virus once, back in '84 or so. Wasn't as crippling as some of the new boys, but took me a while to realize what was going on. Not many were well versed about them back then. Now, I simply do not open any attachments unless they're expected and from a known source. Ditto any executable. Even then I scan them first.

[cx]

If McAfee being a "shareware" means they're free, they ain't. Costs about $30 a year, I think. That what shareware means?

I've not had any experience with any other virus protection plan, so I have no idea what to look for or to expect. Don't even know how you would tell it's working - well, they tell you click here to test it, but I'm sure its them testing theirownselfs, so not sure how effective that is.

And when I first started with them, I tried to use their on-line assistance to figure out something and it was pittiful (but I've found that to be almost universal). You ask a question and you get an answer - problem is, the answer has not a damn thing to do with the question you asked. You try that three or four times and then you try to call on the telephone. Twenty or thirty minutes on hold and you give up on that, too.

Are they all like that, or is it just me?

[Sonnie Layne]

No, shareware isn't freeware. Dif is that with shareware they let you try the package before you register it. Nowdays, they build in code that disables the unregistered software after a set length of time. Back then, it was the honour system. You were expected to pay for it if you used it, which I did.

The documentation shipped with any product should tell you how to not only install it, but have it run in the background, on demand or both. You should find where the program files are and click on the executable and follow prompts or select F1 or help. That would be the place I would start.

[John Bridge]

Again, I use Norton and don't know much about McAfee, but I think they are about the same. CX, just go to their home page and go through the numbers. Once you get it running in the background it'll tell you when you need an update, etc. It'll also warn you about email attachments and web scripting that could be harmful to your health.

Norton also has you create a set of startup discs in case you do get a worm. The virus I got the last time WOULD NOT LET me go sites where the fix was available. Finally it shut down my system. The startup discs let you fire up long enough to figure out what happened and get to an aid station.

Anyway, you'd better get something running. It's getting mean out there.

[Harry]

I just deleted the sir/cam again not even 5 minutes ago ... no kidding, the one where they ask for advive in the content. The anti-virus picked it up fresh off the email attachment before it was opened, although I wouldn't have opened it anyway.

John .... Norton is a great anti-virus program from what I hear and I'd prefer it over most if not all others. The virus that shut down your system sounds like the "win32/hybris" (worm)which actually gets smarter the more you try to delete it and protects itself by locking files where it resides and updates itself with "plugins", and as you mentioned has the ability to not allow your browser to load any pages that assist with destroying viruses.

Check out the link below for information an all viruses including the ones we're talking about here.

Harry Dunbar

http://www.cai.com/virusinfo/encyclopedia/

[cx]

Thanks, John. I went through the Norton thing - about 5 times - and I think I finally got subscribed. It wasn't smooth by any means.

At any rate, I ended up paying only about 4 bucks for a year's worth of virus update service (the Norton program was already in the computer when I bought it). Can I really have gotten the right thing? The McAfee on-line virus update plan on my laptop is more like 30 bucks a year.

Damn, damn, damn, I hate being so ignorant about anything! Swear I won't never laugh an anybody can't even jump-start their own car or nail two boards together. Well, not out loud, anyway.

[John Bridge]

When Norton comes pre-loaded, it's good for a year. I think you need to register it. That's probably what you did.

In a day or two you'll get a little box on your screen that says you need an update. If you don't see that in a week, I would go back in again.