Spam email, not EGO

[Route66Girl]

Hey everybody! I haven't gotten anything from EGO, but ever since my first story was posted, I've gotten probably about 15 or more emails, each with no text in the main msg field, but an attachment of 100k or more. They're usually from different sources, but I got 5 today from someone called "feedbacktheoz."

I always delete them out of caution, without opening the attachments. The last thing I need is a virus.

On the other hand, it could just be someone sending stories. (shrug)

Does anyone else get these? Does anyone know what they are?

 

[Axeltheswede]

email question

Three like the one you mentioned so far. I think they are possibly attachments containing a virus.

Long sad story goes along with this. Bottom line, I got sent these little bombs because I was on someone else's email list. Norton detected all three, but it was still a pain to change addresses, etc.

 

[DVS]

Just curious...What did Norton say the virus was? Do you remember?

 

[Alex De Kok]

I don't know about Axel, but in the last week or so I've received about eight e-mails with the so-called W32.Klez.H@mm virus in an attachment. Beware, three of them had pages from Literotica attached, too! At least one of these e-mails purported to be from a fellow Lit writer.

God bless Norton Anti-Virus software, I say.

Alex

 

[KillerMuffin]

I find that a few people who give feedback do it by clicking my email under my name rather than through the anonymous forms. And to those who leave email in the anonymous forms get a reply. A lot of them "save address."

I know I'm in a lot of address books because I get tons of virus mail. Sir Cam shut my account down a few times by emailing me large private files from several of the people who had saved my address.

What you're getting is Klez. Don't open it. Delete it immediately. Ah, if you aren't already doing so, don't use your Outlook account as your feedback drop. Get a literotica.org addy or some other web based email server.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Good advice KM!

I use Yahoo for that very reason.

For e-mail I use Poco which I have set up to download from my various ISP e-mail addresses and with Norton AV configured to check all incoming (and outgoing) mail.

Alex

 

[DVS]

Better safe than sorry

Using a Microsoft product for a mass incoming email is playing Russian Roulette with your valuable files.

99% of the viruses and worms that are now out there (and probably 100% of the future) are created to work with Microsoft products. If you have 100% MS products (Outlook or Outlook Express, non-patched I.E., non-patched MS Operating system), you are a prime target. You MUST have a good and up to date anti virus program to be safe. But, even then, you will be only 99% sure not to be infected.

The best method to be safe is:
1) up to date anti virus program
1a) any anti virus program is useless, if you don't keep your data files up to date!

2) any MS product should be patched to close holes in the software. Viruses look for unpatched software with these holes to gain access to your computer.

3) if you use Outlook or Outlook Express for your email, do not use it for receiving mass email from strangers.
3a) Take advantage of Hotmail, Yahoo!, Literotica, or some other third party web based email system for these messages. It gives you that needed buffer, just in case someone sends you a virus. A worm is much less likely to travel to AND through your machine, doing it this way.
3b) it is also better to use an email program not made by Microsoft, such as Eudora or Netscape. Most worms may infect, but will not travel through these softwares to your friend's computers.

Nothing is perfect. Keep your eyes open, when receiving unsolicited messages with attachments. AND
To my knowledge, there are only 2 viruses that will travel in an email message alone WITHOUT a need for an attachment. But, you must have your email set to receive HTML or Rich Text messages to be infected. If yours is set for standard text messages, these 2 viruses will come as attachments, like any other.

Isn't life fun?

 

[wildsweetone]

anybody know... WydenLong@literotica.org?

i received an email today with 'congratulations' in the re. it was 156k. but was completely blank. i've done a member search and the name doesn't come up. have i just been hit?
or is this an error of some kind?

 

[DVS]

Well, that is interesting. It just had
re:congratulations in the subject line and the rest was blank?

I don't know the process one has to go through to create a Literotica email. If it isn't too difficult, it could be possible to fudge a name and no real member be there. But, if there are safeguards in place, surely someone in authority would know who this person is.

But, in the case of Yahoo! and Hotmail, you can pretty much put whatever you want in the fields, and then be whoever you want. There is both good and bad in that.

If there was no attached file, I think it was just a lost message. But, you should keep your guard up on anything coming from that address.

No, I don't think it is Sean writing you!!

 

[wildsweetone]

thank you dear, i'll keep this addy in mind. do yu have any idea how it can show up as being 153k and still contain nothing? (got the size wrong b4 sorry).

maybe there's terrorists in my pc

 

[DVS]

Well, that's a good question, but I still wouldn't be too concerned. Do you have anti virus software? As long as it's up to date and you didn't get any warnings, you should be OK.

And, it is possible (if you receive HTML messages) to type into the body of the message and then change the color of the text to be the same as the background color.

If you are still concerned or just curious, you can forward this message to me, and I will check it out.

But, like I have said before, 99% of the worms out there are going to come in an attachment. If there is no attachment, the risk goes down a lot.
BUT IT DOESN'T GO AWAY COMPLETELY!

 

[wildsweetone]

thank you honey,

i think i'll keep you on

ok now can yu tell me how on earth i can get my stories linked to my signature like you have. i've tried it but it's not able to be clicked on. have brain spin at the moment from feedback work so explain it in baby english please dear. *hug*
oh btw i've looked in the 'how to' section. i did see it when i first logged on, but now i can't find it.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Linking stories to signature

Click on 'Post Reply' at the bottom of a post.

When the reply box opens, scroll down to the box at the bottom that says 'Forum Rules'. In the right hand panel you will see 'vB code is ON'. Click on vB code.

When the page opens, read it and see how to make your posts unreadable! (Print it off and keep it near.) Don't forget to open your index page and copy the URL for your signature line.

Alex

My Stories

 

[wildsweetone]

hey alex thanks dear

i've managed to get it sorted with a little help from DVS and a clearing out of my own braincells

thanks again