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VIRUS ALERT!!!

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    VIRUS ALERT!!!



    Greetings, all:

    Last night at around 02:00 AM, I received a suspicious email with an attached file named "MYCLIENT2.XLS.PIF" from fellow board user Aaron Strickland.
    I have never personally communicated with him, as memory recollects, so I
    found this an unlikely scenerio. On further inspection, I found the
    attached file was infected.
    I did recognize the name from the board, but the message was very generic, as
    listed here...
    "Hi! How are you?

    I send you this file in order to have your advice

    See you later. Thanks"

    I emailed Aaron at around 02:30 AM, but have received no response, either
    because he has not picked up his email, or because he is dealing with the virus
    on it's terms!
    As I have never received an email from him before, I am puzzled as to why I
    was in his address book, but perhaps is was routed in a different manner?
    Here is a copy of the Norton Antivirus log:

    E:CompuServe 2000downloadMYCLIENT2.xls.pif
    was infected with the W32.Sircam.Worm@mm virus.
    The file was deleted.

    Just a general warning to others who may receive this email!!!
    Craig





    #2
    RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

    Greetings, Again:

    Here is the link to Norton's site which details the virus. As I deleted the file before opening it, and don't use Outlook, for obvious reasons, I was able to delete the file with no damage.

    http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

    Ctaig

    Comment


      #3
      RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

      To my knowledge, both Barry Rochford and Jay Talbott (2 other Alphaphiles) received a similar e-mail earlier in the week. We figured it had come from an infected Outlook directory of someone related to the NY User Group. Unfortunately we didn't think to post a warning, so your message is timely.

      Never open those attachments unless you are expecting them and know who sent them and why.

      Also, scrap Outlook and use a less vulnerable e-mail package!

      Finian
      Finian

      Comment


        #4
        RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

        Oh Dear,

        I opened it after first searching for his name and checking out some of his previous correspondence on the message board.

        Michael

        Comment


          #5
          RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

          Michael:

          I searched some of his messages also. I didn't open it because, unlike his post's, the email seemed grammatically incorrect...

          I hope you have virus software. Norton has a special executable to clean this virus off a system, but it looks like it's a bit of work. Be sure to disconnect all network drives and network internet connections while you are working on this. Stay offline, as it will generate emails to those parties in your Outlook address book, and perhaps other address book also.

          Good luck,

          Craig

          Comment


            #6
            RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

            Finian, care to mention a few 'less vulnerable' email packges we might consider? -- tom

            Comment


              #7
              RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

              Finian:

              Yes, I agree. I can't imagine why anyone can justify using Outlook with it's vulnerability to VBS virus'.

              Fortuneatly, I don't, and although I downloaded the infected file, i would have had to open the file in Excel to activate the virus.

              I have dealt with a few virus' on clients machines before. Sometimes it takes 8 hours to thoroughly clean the hard drive... not a fun task.

              It still amazes me that people write these things...

              Craig

              Comment


                #8
                RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                I've e-mailed Aaron and Rick Tobiassen who account for at least 3 copies of the virus e-mail I have received (so far). Obviously, it is being passed around by Alpha-files unfortunately.

                Basic rule to follow is that if the message does not seem to address you in a personal manner (not just the Hi yourname, but seems to be talking about appropriate stuff), it probably is a virus.

                This virus was only detected about a week ago, so maintain your virus detection programs all the time.

                I use Netscape and Eudora for E-mail clients. But of course, if you open the file (as oppose to saving it), the virus will be activated. With A5 V5, maybe I'll use Alpha 5!

                Also, don't e-mail everyone on your list telling them about a virus, as that's a method hoax viruses use to clog e-mail channels.

                Regards,

                Ira J. Perlow
                Computer Systems Design & Associates
                [email protected]
                Regards,

                Ira J. Perlow
                Computer Systems Design


                CSDA A5 Products
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                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                  Hi everybody,

                  My daughter and her husband were brought low by this one. He is a law school prof and exchanges email with his students which I never do. Told him he was crazy, in fact.

                  I too got one copy, same message different attachment, before the virus data file on our college's gateway was updated for this one. In the first half hour it stopped 14 copies on the way in.

                  For the next while the recommended procedure will have to be to open no attachments you do not expect. If you want to send someone a file, first email them a note telling them to expect a second message with the attachment.

                  What a pain.

                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                    I too am getting emails from members of the board with the same message.
                    They also are virus infected.
                    Just make sure that you delete them without opening them.
                    andthen run your virus protecion.
                    Charlie Crimmel

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                      I received almost the same e-mail on AOL. It looked funny to me, so I pasted it on to Norton Anti-virus. Glad I did.
                      Norton said the same as yours did. I deleted it at one. All should be on the lookout for this. He is asking for your advise and look what you could get. Dan Earley.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                        I received one of those emails from Rick Tobiasson too. I asked him about it and he had no clue that it was sent to me.
                        Thank you,
                        Mike Konoff

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                          Will the virus activate if you open & read the e-mail, or do you have to open & run the attached file?

                          Thanks,
                          Mike
                          Thank you,
                          Mike Konoff

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                            Tom:

                            I use Netscape Mail myself.

                            Using something other than Outlook only assures (at least for now) that the virus will not propagate beyond the infected machine. Once you open the attachment, the virus/worm will try to do its thing, the primary acivity being to send copies of itself to everyone in the user's Outlook address book. What happens after that is where the real pain comes ... does it try to wipe your hard drive, delete system files, rename files? I don't know what else this particular virus does and frankly, I'm not anxious to find out.

                            So far none of these pests propagate via other e-mail clients.

                            I did get hit with the "I Love You" bug last year. It was attached to an e-mail from my niece in Ireland, who had previously sent me some pictures of her son. So I fell for it. What a pita.

                            You can't trust any attachment that you are not expecting, even from your nearest and dearest!

                            Finian
                            Finian

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: VIRUS ALERT!!!

                              Mike:

                              If you are using Microsoft Outlook, you need only open the email. If you are using Outlook and open the email, the virus becomes active, further infecting the files on your hard drive. It will then attach itself to random files on your hard drive, sending random emails to the email addresses in your Outlook mailbox. The recipient receives the email with an infected file attached. For detail info, refer to the link on my earlier message. I believe further destructive activity will occur when the system date of the infected computer reads 10/16/01, although Norton's bulletin suggests that the date can vary.

                              If you are using other email software, you can read the email and even download the file without activating the virus. But once you RUN the downloaded file, you open Pandora's box, so to speak. Without Outlook, I don't believe it spreads beyond your computer unless you manually send an email to someone, attaching an infected file to it.

                              Of course, moving any infected file from one computer to another via floppy disk, CD, or the like, will also transmit the virus.

                              Hope this clarifies.

                              Craig

                              Comment

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