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TECH : A Warning (virus)
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Subject: Not BS: A Warning From: GUEST,Gareth Date: 27 Jul 02 - 07:50 PM Some barsteward hit me with Elkern C Virus tonight. Fortunatley AntiVir caught it. But as a large proportio of my address book are Catters, I think you ought to be aware. It came as "Kramer" "Questionaire" Be Warned, and on yer gaurd, Gareth |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow Date: 27 Jul 02 - 07:59 PM Here is a handy free program all the way from New Zealand which can save a lot of heartache if you go via it to open your email - MailWasher |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Amos Date: 27 Jul 02 - 08:13 PM You might also sign up at www.mail2web.com. It allows you to read your email via the web, rather than directly from your mail server. The good thing about it is you can acccess it from any machine, home or not, and check mail on any account from it. A |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: GUEST Date: 27 Jul 02 - 08:22 PM You could also choose not to open attachments in junkmail... Duh |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 27 Jul 02 - 09:28 PM Gareth, thanks. According to this page at Symantec, the Elkern is associated with the Klez one which Mark Cohen told us all about a few days ago. That one can activate without opening anything. kat |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Jeri Date: 27 Jul 02 - 09:28 PM Well, since these things normally attach themselves to messages sent from your address book, they're not normally identified as junk mail. (Unless you're in the habit of sending the stuff out.) Best not to open any attachments unless you're absolutely sure what you're getting. My ISP has web-based mail and screening for spam and viruses is available. The virus screening is a bit over-zealous, but what the heck - I can go read the stuff in my "to be dumped" folder if I want. Probably worse than opening with my e-mail program, which doesn't do HTML. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Gareth Date: 28 Jul 02 - 10:39 AM Man - Thst is nasty. Thanks Kat I've deep scanded with antVir and it declares it'self clean. And no there were no attatchments. I'll download the Norton Exterminator later. Gareth |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 28 Jul 02 - 10:48 AM Welcome, Gareth. I was prompted to check for this one and Norton found the Klez on 3 of my email files, and that is in Eudora. Fortunately, it was in the files only and Norton took care of them. Thanks, again, kat |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 28 Jul 02 - 10:55 AM The thing is GUEST,Duh, you don't even need to open the attachments - just clicking on the email to delete it is enough with some of them, if you're working directly through your email program on your computer, rather than using something like MailWasher or the rest.
And the things aren't even restricted to your address book - I had one sent out to people on the mailing list of a previous email that I had been sent, and messed up a number of people's computers, as well as mine. The trouble was I'd recently started using a cable modem, and I hadn't upgraded my security adequately at the time. Cable connections are more vulnerable I understand. (I have better security now, and I hope it's good enough.)
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Jeri Date: 28 Jul 02 - 11:12 AM Well, just clicking on the e-mail may be enough in an e-mail program that automatically reads HTML and embedded script. These embedded worms seem to be spread very easily these days, probably because of the popularity of those HTML e-mail programs and the fact a lot of people don't know how to turn the automatic running of script off. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:11 PM Jeri, this is going to sound incredibly stupid, but is that all I have to do to help protect against this stuff? Besides an AV program, I mean? I just went in and disabled scripting; that seems so simple?! Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:23 PM Stupid? That sounds highly cimoputer literate to me, kat!
Presumably there is some way to turn off scripting, whatever that is (I have come across the term, but blow me if I know what it actually means); so in Outlet Express, how do I do it? |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:24 PM And presumably there is some reason for having it turned in the first place, so what happens if it's turned off that might matter> |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Justa Picker Date: 28 Jul 02 - 12:36 PM Once again (as I have posted this in the past here) start using Mail Washer and you can delete any email at the e-mail server level without EVER having to actually download any of it into your computer. Very easy to set up, and it will show if any of the emails waiting for you contain attachments. I swear by this program. Only receive the emails onto your computer that you want. It's also got a nice filtering system. Best of all it's free. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Jeri Date: 28 Jul 02 - 01:09 PM Kat, I believe a lot worms are scripts. Won't do anything about the .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and and .scr files, but they shouldn't activate automatically and hopefully people don't open them on purpose. There are probably a load of people around here who know more than me and can explain better. A script is a bunch of commands that make your computer do something, and can be included in HTML. And example would be those cute images that follow your cursor around on some web pages. Here's a page where the cursor does that. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Mary in Kentucky Date: 28 Jul 02 - 02:13 PM Ok, I'm thoroughly confused. McAfee just found mnsvc.exe on my computer and suggested I replace it with an uninfected file, then delete it. Last week I deleted a folder I HAD CREATED and somehow there was an ini file in there, so now I can't open any of the folders on my desktop. I quarantined the mnsvc.exe file, but now what? How do I know if it's a necessary file? If it is, where do I get a good one? And with last week's problem, how do I know which file allows me to open folders? Everything I've read says I have to go into the registry to fix things! |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 28 Jul 02 - 02:49 PM Thanks, Jeri. Brother JP, I am guilty as charged...had downloaded it, but wasn't using it. I have seen the light and promise to be good from now on!**BG** Kevin, someone else will have to explain what happens. At the moment, I keep getting prompted about whether I want to run scripts or not, because I had set it on "prompt" rather than flat-out disable. I'll have to retrace my steps to tell you how and I've got company coming over at the moment. Sorry:-(...if I seem to know anything at all it's because of the Mudcat and all of the knowledge which Those Who REALLY Know have shared so patiently and willingly! kat |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Escamillo Date: 28 Jul 02 - 04:41 PM Regarding worms that get active as soon as you click on the title to erase them: Outlook Express v6 is already protected against scripts embedded in MIME code. It is advisable to download it from Microsoft site. It's free as an upgrade to any existing Outlook Express. I keep "file downloading" DISABLED. Before O.Express v6, I had found that as soon as I moved the mouse over the title of a message, there was a pop-up message telling me that "your configuration does not allow downloading of this file": surprise, because I was not expecting any download. So, I still keep it disabled (go to I.Explorer, Tools, Security, look for file downloads, disable them, confirm) and enable them temporarily only when I do want to download something. In order to stop on its tracks any worm that is trying to use my address list, I included an invalid address named !!!000. This gets located alphabetically as the first address on the list. As soon as the worm or virus tries to send itself to the list, Outlook Express pops up an error message "invalid e-mail address" and you then realize what is happening. This will also prevent YOU from sending a message to all in your list, but that is a behaviour unproper for a serious Internet user.:) Webmailing is much more secure, but slower and cumbersome some times. Beware of those messages (even from friends) that tell you "oh, sorry, oh, sorry, I was inadvertedly sending a virus to all my list ! Look at your folder C:\Windows\system, if you find a file named (variable name here) with a nasty black icon, then you are infected too! Please delete it immediately and empty your trash bin, and please forgive me for being so naive" IF you delete the file (which is normally a necessary Windows component) you will be in serious trouble and will possibly have to reinstall Windows. Un abrazo - Andrés |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: wysiwyg Date: 29 Jul 02 - 09:07 AM I think I may have it. I'm getting my tech on it today. We'll be out of town for several weeks so I will only be using my hotmail addresses till we get back. ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 29 Jul 02 - 09:41 AM One thing I've found helps - I've deleted the Outlook Express shortcut icon from my desktop and start menu, and replaced it with the MailWasher oner. That stops me from inadevertently opening Outlook Express directly, rather than via MailWasher.
If Dante was writing the Inferno today he'd have a special circle of hell for people who play these kind of games - virus designers and unleashers, malevolent hackers, trolls and suchlike. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 29 Jul 02 - 10:12 AM another dumb question...we've got cable access. I've tried setting up mailwasher, but it wants a POP3 addy and all I can find in my Eudora program is SMTP ingoing and outgoing. I've seen in the Help part of MW that it only works with POP3 right now, does that mean that I am SOL? Thanks! PS, would have done this by PM, but I figure there may be others who are wondering, too!*BG* |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Justa Picker Date: 29 Jul 02 - 10:55 AM Kat, Use the same POP setting for Mail Washer that you already have set up in Eudora. Go into Eudora, go to Personalities...find yours, and click on its properties..and you'll find all the info to copy and paste into Mail Washer. You set up Mail Washer just as you would for an e-mail program. The only difference is that MW shows you whats waiting for you on your email server BEFORE, downloading into your computer, and you can decide what to download and what to delete. |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: katlaughing Date: 29 Jul 02 - 11:26 AM Thanks, JP. I figured that was it, but there was no designation for POP, it just had a box which was ticked. Turned out it was the same as the SMTP or whatever for ingoing and outgoing, SO, I have MW set up and am using it. Thanks!! luvyakat |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Steve in Idaho Date: 29 Jul 02 - 02:28 PM Yes - I am VERY good at killing viruses - :-)
And for what it's worth - there are web sites out there that can infect you simply by visiting them. It does not always require an attachment be opened.
Snortin' Norton Steve |
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Subject: RE: Not BS: A Warning From: Escamillo Date: 30 Jul 02 - 12:00 AM Yes Steve, there are many nasty things that websites can make to you. I keep a high personalized level of security, for example, I don't allow cookies (except when in need to refresh Mudcat cookie), don't allow ActiveX not Java nor file downloading, or at least I set them to request my authorization. Try from the highest level of security (you will see how often the I.Explorer tells you that "this site is starting a command that could be potentially dangerous") and relax restrictions up to a point comfortable to you, but as high as possible. There are sites which will show you nothing if you don't relax all ActiveX restrictions. Distrust them. Others will not allow you to enter if you don't allow cookies. I run out of those sites. Other sites will allow you to enter only if you prove that you are older than 21, but that's another story.. Un abrazo - Andrés |
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Subject: RE: TECH : A Warning (virus) From: Genie Date: 30 Jul 02 - 01:03 AM Amos and McGrath, thanks for the links. Guest, yes, you can just not open suspicious-looking email and attachments, but some spammers are very good at making their email look like it came from someone you know. I've come close to deleting email from friends and family unopened when I didn't immediately recognize the email address. So I'd like the option of at least opening the email when I'm in doubt. The other thing is some of my friends forward me things. They may inadvertently be forwarding me a virus. Genie |
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