More viruses being sent directly to list users

[Bob Carner]

Folks;
        Though a non-Heath topic, the virus thread is worth continuing another email or two. In cooperation with MicroSoft, ALL of the anti-virus companies have agreed to extend their 30 day free trial to 90 days in an effort to relieve the Y2K potential for virus attacks. I highly recommend updating your current AV software or obtaining a fresh copy from a respectable company. Over the course of the past years, I've used just about all of them but currently side with the Norton (Symantec) AV software. Our campus just reviewed the major players in the AV arena and decided to go with Norton due to the 'Automatic Update' facility. Yes, I know many companies are now using this feature and this most certainly isn't a plug for Norton. For me, it's free. That's the major reason I'm using Norton.
        The real plug here is GET THE AV SOFTWARE, INSTALL IT AND KEEP IT CURRENT WITH THE UPDATES. I lost 3 three computers last week to the 'Thursday' virus (which stuck on Tuesday, Dec 13th...just as programmed). This virus attempts to delete ALL executables on your harddisk and was well on it's way when it was discovered. Another building on campus lost 11 computers.
        Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
        Bob Carner
ps
        If you need the site address for any of these companies please email me directly.
        BC

At 12:52 PM 12/20/99 -0600, you wrote:
>On 12/20/1999 Steve Harrison wrote:
>
>>Interestingly, some months ago, a good friend of mine forwarded me a
>>copy of saddam.exe. It was a very entertaining animated cartoon and
>>as far as I could tell, only that. Maybe it left something in my
>>system that's gonna blow up soon, though.
>>
>>The same friend sent me g_zilla.exe about a month ago....
>>Guess I'd better delete both it and saddam.exe (although the horse(s)
>>is(are) probably already out of the barn by now.... ;o(((
>
>Steve and all,
>
>As I understand it, the worm does not do any immediate destructive
>action on your PC; what it does when run is modify your Windows
>Registry file and Outlook Express (or Netscape Email) so that it
>automatically attaches itself to some or all of your outgoing
>E-mails without your knowledge. When unsuspecting recipients run
>the attached .EXE file, it does the same to their system.
>
>So, if you've run it, just deleting the .EXE file will not do you
>any good - you have to go into the Registry and delete the lines it
>inserted there, and perhaps some other stuff. I believe the info is
>on the Symantec site.
>
>Whether or not it will later damage your system I don't know.
>
>73
>
>John Farrington  KE5ZB
>
>Sponsored by the City of Tempe
>
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Bob Carner, EE, SysAdmin, and Network Liason
Brooks Forest Products Center
Department of Wood Science and Forest Products
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
rscarner at vt.edu (work)
rscarner at usit.net (home)

540 231-7453 (office)
540 231-8868 (fax)
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