Checking of Attachments For Viruses

[Rick Parent]

OK Mike; virus detection 101:

My name's Rick Parent and I work with computers and networks every day. I don't
consider myself an expert in anti-virus detection or anything else
"computeresque"; but my company does......

Norton can be set with the "Options" menu to scan any and all downloaded files.
This is done from the "Auto Protect" tab. Choose the check box "Created or
Downloaded" and "All Files" under "What to Scan". This will allow Norton to
automatically scan any file that you double-click on from an e-mail attachment.
To the best of my knowledge, you cannot scan incoming e-mail from a server
(POP3) automatically without first attempting to execute it.

You should also take advantage of the "Live Update" feature in Norton
(considering all the hoopla surrounding this past week's discoveries!). This
week's file is 717kbytes long. So, if you're downloading using a slower modem,
it may take awhile, but it's worth the feeling of security.

I run Norton with the "Opened, Copied, or Moved" box unchecked. It tends to
slow down the computer too much to have these options selected. You can do a
manual scan of all files and all hard drives once; then feel safe to un-check
these options.

Always check floppies before running any files off of one. That is the number
one way of passing viruses around. I've been burned countless times because I
didn't!

HAPPY99 is not a virus - it's what's known as a "worm program" or "Trojan
Horse". It again cannot be detected by Norton until it is executed, so
therefore, Norton will not automatically delete the file in an e-mail
attachment. That's why you keep seeing this Trojan in postings to this Listserv
(I do too!). If you have a current file definition from Symantec, it includes
the HAPPY99.EXE file definition and will not allow it to infect your PC (just
in case you mistakenly double-click on it someday!). Here's a link to some
detailed info on the subject from Symantec:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html

To scan an attachment before it is executed, simply follow my instructions
about Auto Protect. What happens is that Norton will take over (when you
double-click on an attachment) and pop up a dialog box asking you if you want
to save the attached file and also tell you if it is clean. Pretty safe.

If I haven't answered your questions clearly, please feel free to e-mail me
directly at:

rparent at sky.net

Good Luck!

Rick Parent,  KA1GBJ


Mike Hardie wrote:

> Perhaps a list member can answer a couple of questions for a "computer
> challenged" person, namely yours truly:  1) I've received the happy 99
> virus attacnment several times from list members, undoubtedly
> unintentionally, but my virus checker has never detected it so far as I can
> tell. Is this normal?  The attachments were deleted, not opened, and I
> checked the individual files where the virus was supposed to reside and
> nothing was there.  Does the virus checker not detect/eliminate viruses in
> an attachment until the opening the attachment is attempted?  2) Someone on
> the list mentioned scanning an attachment before opening it, how is this
> done with Norton Anti-virus?
>
> Mike VE7MMH at: hardiem at intergate.bc.ca
>
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