BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam

Subject: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: blt
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 02:37 AM

Well, I have just shoveled out $112 to remove the Sircam virus from my computer, so I would like to warn others out there that the fix offered on the Symantec website may not actually fix the problem. My computer began to show an increasing number of error messages, to the point where it would shut itself down. It was doing other wierd things, such as not letting me disconnect from the internet. I brought my computer to the tech guys thinking I needed to have Windows reinstalled, and was disappointed (but not surprised) when they called to tell me that Sircam was chewing up my hard drive. So, I wish I had a crafty little tune to describe the ravages of that dastard, Sir Cam--and maybe I will write one, given enough time--but all I have to show for my trouble is an even larger credit card debt and a zillion email messages.

blt

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: nutty
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 05:35 AM

I've been having problems with my compUter shutting itself down but never thought it might be a virus .... Can anyone tell me how I would find out?? PLEASE

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 09:01 AM

Blt, have you contacted Symantec about this? Also, did you use a manual or automatic fix? And, did you update your anti-virus protection after removing Sircam?

Nutty, I take it you have an up to date anti-virus program installed and running. You could try the AV company's support if you are getting problems that you feel may be due to a virus.

I am currently running PC-Cillin which was bundled with a motherboard I installed. Trend Micro, the makers of the software do offer a free on-line scan that you could try to see if it detects anything. The URL is http://housecall.antivirus.com/. Be warned that it is a long process on a slow connection.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: blt
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 11:04 AM

I haven't notified Symantec; my anti-virus software is McAfee and it wasn't updated. I updated it after I heard about the virus on a thread here (I got the virus when someone from this site emailed me with an attachment that I rather stupidly opened--the Pandora's Box Syndrome), but it apparently wasn't able to recognize that I still had the worm. I plan to get Norton's anti-virus program as soon as I can afford it, as I heard several people say that it recognized the virus right away. My comupter is a Gateway, about 3 years old, and when I brought it in to be fixed, the tech guy told me Gateway doesn't install McAfee software anymore, that they've switched to Norton.

Also, I used a fix that was listed in one of the threads on this site, as well as information from the Symantec site--I probably just didn't fully understand what to do.

blt

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 11:13 AM

re the fix. I got involved in helping Bill Sables get rid of Sircam on his computer. If my memory is correct, all that there was on Mudcat (and at Symantec) at the time of me visiting Bill was a set of instructions which were a little complicated. When I got to Bill's and had a look at his computer, I went back to the Symantec site and by that time, they had an "auto-fixer" which I used and hopefully was succesful.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Sep 01 - 01:24 PM

Purely as information-- two things.

1. Although it was suggested that I had sent out an infected mail to Catters midsummer, I passed all Norton checks all along, and I have had ZERO problems with the system after running it about 16 hours a day for the last several weeks. As I have always done, when I send an attachment I specify in the body of the mail what the attachment is. My system, which BTW was about two weeks old when I was accused of having done this, is set to automatically retrieve Norton updates weekly and to do fresh scans with the update, weekly. It also scans each and every e-mail I open before I open it, and every document I open before I open it. It even scans each NEW doc I create before it will let me enter a word of text!

I have a fast system, so this happens faster than I can know it is happening, and it does not slow me down a bit.

2. But the important thing is-- it isn't enough to have the AV software installed. You have to understand how it works in as detailed a fashion as you need to know how your word-processor works, and you have to know that its default settings may not even protect your e-mail unless you change them!!!!

My Norton came pre-loaded on the new system and it was NOT doing ANY of the things I have just described, until I discovered that and told it to!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: The Revenge of Sir Cam
From: nutty
Date: 09 Sep 01 - 05:28 AM

Jon .... thanx for the peace of mind ... tried housecall early this morning (great connection) and it gave my computer a clean bill of health

Now must deal with what I think is the reason and have a new fan fitted