Virus??

[MathGirl]

I have, sitting in my EMail Inbox, something from "MS Program Security System." I opened it to find it was a "Current Net Critical Pathway" to prevent outsiders from getting into my computer and raising hell.

I went to the web site, and it LOOKED like a Microsoft site, but not exactly. The instructions were to download the thing and run in on my computer.

Anyone else got one of these? I don't know whether to chance running the damned thing.
Hep!
MG

 

[Jenny _S]

I have, sitting in my EMail Inbox, something from "MS Program Security System." I opened it to find it was a "Current Net Critical Pathway" to prevent outsiders from getting into my computer and raising hell.

I went to the web site, and it LOOKED like a Microsoft site, but not exactly. The instructions were to download the thing and run in on my computer.

Anyone else got one of these? I don't know whether to chance running the damned thing.
Hep!
MG

MicroSoft doesn't send those, MG. Don't down load that fucker! The person to talk too is The Heretic on the GB. He's an M.S. Scum QC guy.

 

[Just_John1]

Don't download it!

I get one of those messages about everyother day. My virus protection won't let me even open it because it gives me a virus warning. If you're not running a virus protection program you may have already infected your computer. My advice would be to always run virus protection in background. But for SURE don't download it. If microsoft wanted you to have something you can trust Bill Gates to be sure to charge you for it. When's the last time Bill gave anyone anything for free?

JJ1 the overly conservative.

 

[MathGirl]

Thank you all for the help. It's gone.
MG

 

[sailorm72003]

Re: Don't download it!

JJ1 the overly conservative.

NOT overly conservative, and absolutely correct.

Microsoft does not send patches etc. to you via email. They provide downloads to repair the mistakes they made on the windows update site, which also includes a notice that they will not be sending email.

For others who receive a similar message, do as MG did and DELETE it, unread. Don't even visit the links that may be included; and, if you happen to use the preview view in your mail client (outlook, outlook express particularly) you should switch it off- if you can see the preview, you've already allowed more access than is good.

Beyond that, as ust_John said, get anti-virus software from a reliable vendor, and keep it current.

Sailor-
(Who has spent too much time cleaning infected pc's lately)

 

[Icingsugar]

Anyone else got one of these? I don't know whether to chance running the damned thing.

There is but one rule. Live by it and ye shall be safe from harm.


If in doubt, delete.

 

[snooper]

Free Advice ...

... from a consultant, yet!!!

My "day job" is computer security and the absolute minimum I would recommend is a good anti-virus package. (I use Panda Titanium.)

If you can possibly afford it, a good firewall package also. (There is a highly recommended freeware one called "Agnitum" which I also use.)

Third, be utterly paranoid. NO unexpected email gets opened on my system. Stuff from the Literotica Editor scheme comes in to a separate mailbox and is checked for viruses, etc before opening it. Stuff into my normal mailbox is ruthlessly deleted unless I recognise the sender (even mail from Hotmail Support, which is spoofed from time to time).

In view of that last sentence, apologies to anyone who has tried to write to be and been ignored.

 

[ffreak]

The email(s - lots of them) from 'Microsoft' or others with an apparent text file attachment are in reality another worm (once a file is 'opened' if it is in fact an executable format, Microsoft will stupidly execute it and throw up all over your computer - the virus writers know this and are taking advantage).

For some reason, there are people out there that think it hurts Microsoft somehow to delete files you painstakingly created with your time. Take all of the advice above as law in the land of your computer. DO NOT OPEN email that is not from someone you know. DO NOT OPEN email attachments that you were not expecting from someone you know. Some of the latest versions of virii this year have been worming their way through your friends email address books and sent items boxes to disguise themselves as being from your friends using subjects you just might be willing to open. They normally slip-up in being unable to match subject to person; like Hello, here is that report on our 940 payroll report you asked for. (what the hell, you say, I don't give a damn about your payroll - hmm wonder what you're paying these fools... open attachment - GOTCHA!) DO NOT OPEN email that has any attachments that look the least bit off subject even from friends - send them a question about it instead (not a reply, they may not really be where the email came from and you don't want to infect them if it didn't).

-FF (ain't hacking fun?)

 

[Guest]

-FF (ain't hacking fun?)

That all depends what kind.

 

[ffreak]

Only on computers is hacking fun, dearest LouLou.

Other activities require a much more lubricious approach.
Never hack, saw, or file - instead, slide, glide, rub - and then see what sanguine delights may issue forth.

-FF (lucky blanket)

 

[Guest]

But what if your subject is a tree stump? I have fun hacking those.

Loulou

 

[ffreak]

Personally, I prefer to slide my trunks off, that way I can use them next time without the holes caused by hacking. OH, stumps, well if you didn't hack at them they would still be attached.

-FF

Oh am I blue
Am I blue
Ain't this soft blankie true tellin' you

 

[snooper]

... (ain't hacking fun?)

Never, NEVER refer to virus, worm, or Trojan Horse writers as "hackers". They are CRIMINALS; nothing more and nothing less. Do not make it even sound like fun, or a hobby, or anything but what it is: utterly anti-social behaviour which is a crime in all civilised countries.

 

[ffreak]

I am sorry, you are quite correct that the authors of virii (more than one virus) and worms that deliver problems and destructive software to unsuspecting and innocent users of computers and web should be prosecuted and punished by law.

However, having been in software development for the past 35 years, the term hacker is understood by the non-technical community much differently than within the geekdom.

The hacker is only someone who is willing to learn more about computer systems, often for the corporate environment or merely out of curiosity, even by reverse engineering of computer programs. Their work is marked by multiple attempts that seem crude at first and then gain an elegance of professionalism and normally results in the creation of better product. Virtually every software development company searches for true hackers to hire for their teams.

The cracker is someone who will go the effort of 'cracking' the code to use proprietary software, getting past the program owner's licensing routines. These folks, either by selling or by publishing this knowledge may be subject to civil suits.

The people who write and disseminate destructive software that deletes files from your computer (property), or causes a breakdown in the Internet by Denial of Service or disruption of communications (a form of battery) are not hackers - they are criminals.

-FF

ps. I am one of the authors of two virus killers - one for the original Melissa Virus and one for the original Luv Virus - it took me and one of my developers 5 hours to tear apart and write the first one and 12 hours to write the second - and almost three weeks before either was disseminated upon the insistence of CERN by McAfee (Network Associates) and Norton (Symantic). In one case the author of the virus was a disgruntled employee on the Delphi development team who objected to Microsoft's take-over and killing of the product he was working on. In the other case it was a disgruntled customer who could not get anything more than denial from Microsoft when asking about a security hole in their products. I'm not saying that these virii are Microsoft's fault, but that the same emotions that cause a person to walk into a bank or a car dealership and start shooting innocent bystanders are what is at play in most cases.

(putting my soapbox away now)

pps. Oh, and I don't think jailing pranksters from college who unintentionally cause a problem and letting people with criminal intent get out of trouble on a technicality is fair or reasonable.

(I'll be quite now, I promise)

 

[MathGirl]

Edited to remove an unnecessarily nasty remark. It's being saved for later use, though.
MG

 

[ffreak]

I cannot imagine a nasty remark from you being unnecessary.

However since we're only a little over a month away from Halloween, I fear for the victim of your thrift.

-FF