Virus warning

[Mike Morris WA6ILQ]

The ".scr" suffix is a legitimate file type - normally it's a screen saver
executable.  Unfortunately the way that MS has configured Windoze
the default action when you click on a .scr file type is to execute it.

The PC help desk at at  the place where I work has a "standard
list" of mods to Windows that they do after the install is done
and before delivery,  and one of them is to change that default
action on a .scr file to "edit".
Since you will normally never try to open a binary file that hides
in the Windows directory the change is harmless, but can save
your bacon if somebody sends you a .scr file and you forget
and click on it.

This change can be done in Explorer by clicking on "View", then
"Folder options", then select the "File Types" tab, then  scroll
down to "Screen Saver" and click once on the item.   Click on
the "Edit" button, and then on "New".  A box will pop up with two
fields labeled "Action" and "Application".  Type "Edit" into the
Action field, and "c:\windows\notepad.exe %1" into the Application
field.  Then click on OK.

The steps above have defined the action, now we need to set it as
the default.  Just single-click on "Edit", then on the "Set as Default"
button, then on "Close" and "Close" again.

It takes longer to read the steps above that it takes to do it.

note that Notepad has a 64k limit on the size of the file it can
open, and you may or may not have a popup message stating
that fact and offering to open it in Wordpad.  Either way, you
will see a binary file opened in a text editor rather than
executed,  and seeing a bunch of gibberish in an editor window
will alert you that you need to properly handle the file.

Mike WA6ILQ


At 12:18 PM 05/24/2001 -0600, you wrote:
>I have received about 5 emails from a "Sierralyn Snisky" containing a copy
>of an e-mail I posted to the list, containing a directive to "Take a look to
>the attachment." The attachment from this person is something with a .scr
>file type. This is very likely a virus. Do not open the attachment, or any
>attachment with .scr or .vbs extensions! Odds are it's not even from that
>person -- it's probably a virus that infected his machine and is sending out
>these copies from his Outlook mail list. Delete the e-mail at once and make
>sure you empty your recycle bin.
>
>And just so we're all clear, you can't get a virus by reading e-mail, only
>by explicitly opening attachments. Text messages cannot infect your
>computer. Now, if you have an email package that automatically runs
>attachments, you might be in worse shape.
>
>Brian

Listserver Subscription:listserv at listserv.tempe.gov - "subscribe heath 'name' 'call'"
Listserver Submissions: heath at listserv.tempe.gov
Listserver Unsubscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov - -"signoff heath"