I just received an email with the subject “Humor Christmas” apparently from whistleman49@aol.com (dunno who that is). There were two attachments, an apparently benign JPEG “Playbar.jpg”, and a batch file of about 87K in size called “HREF.BAT”. That was loaded with the W32.klez.m virus.
My scanner caught it, and the virus was not installed on my system - no harm done. I just want to make sure everyone knows to #1 - TURN OFF your preview pane in Outlook &/or Outlook Express
#2 - DO NOT open any attachments you are not expecting, from ANYONE, especially if they are batch or executable files!
#3 - If you do not already have up-to-date virus scanning software, GET IT NOW! The newer strains of virii are particularly virulent, and can cause considerable damage to your and others’ systems. Trust me completely on this - it will be money well spent!
FYI, no smileys. Not a laughing matter.
Bill Whedon
F.Y.I. If you don’t have antivirus software and you don’t wanna shell out the dough for any, there is an online virus scanner available here------->TrendMicro
This is an excellent site…it has saved my PC many times through the 4 years that I’ve been using it, and it’s totally FREE! These are the same guys that make PC-cillin if you are familiar with it. Good Luck!
EDIT: Serpent, I was just checking out the TrendMicro site myself and that virus you had sent to you is actually the #1 worm in the world right now…
Would rather go whistling where there is no path…and leave a trail.
Uriah
[ This Message was edited by: 2nd Wind on 2002-12-11 14:26 ]
Just a note about virus protection. The Trend site is great to check for viruses you may already have but they may have already done their dirty work. I think a virus program is imparative. I use AVAST32 and am very happy with it. And its FREE!! Just go to CNet downloads punch antivirus and punch the Avast32 header. Don`t down load it from there just punch the company name and go to their site. Read all about it and then get it. Its good. Sign up for Trends alerts anyway. You will get a weekly virus alert email that is very informative.
I know who whistleman49 is. I have gotten e-mail from him, but not unwanted attachments. He is a C&F regular and I think he would like to know about the virus, so if you haven’t already written to him, i think you should, Bill.
avanutria; no. This worm is raited very high in the distructive catagory. It can also,once it gets in, hide itself from most antivirus programs. It then starts changing exe. files and all kinds of weird stuff that I don`t know a thing about. Check it out on Trends site. Lots of info there.
I bought an antivirus with my current PC, and when I try to download updates the whole process is so quick that I suspect that nothing is happening and I’ve been conned. I’ve had so many mails bounced from people I’ve never heard of that I feel there must be something funny going on.
This worm often uses a technique known as “spoofing.” When it performs its email routine. it can use a randomly chosen address that it finds on an infected computer as the “From:” address, numerous cases have been reported in which users of uninfected computers received complaints that they sent an infected message to someone else.
For example, Linda Anderson is using a computer that is infected with W32.Klez.H@mm. Linda is not using a antivirus program or does not have current virus definitions. When W32.Klez.H@mm performs its emailing routine, it finds the email address of Harold Logan. It inserts Harold’s email address into the “From:” portion of an infected message that it then sends to Janet Bishop. Janet then contacts Harold and complains that he sent her an infected message, but when Harold scans his computer, Norton AntiVirus does not find anything–as would be expected–because his computer is not infected.
[ This Message was edited by: Wandering_Whistler on 2002-12-11 18:33 ]
OOOOOOOOH I got you so it may not have been the person whose name was on the from line at all. Dirty rotten viruses. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Roger just type http://www.cnet.com in your thingy and hit enter and you are there.
On 2002-12-11 17:38, JessieK wrote:
I know who whistleman49 is. I have gotten e-mail from him, but not unwanted attachments. He is a C&F regular and I think he would like to know about the virus, so if you haven’t already written to him, i think you should, Bill.
Whenever I get a virus, worm, or trojan apparently_from anyone, I make that person the first to hear about it. I say “apparently” because many of the more modern virii, etc., are “smart” enough to disguise their origins, even down to creating and running their very own SMTP servers.
An astute observation, Jessie, and one that should be observed by all!
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
On 2002-12-12 07:43, Zubivka wrote:
I thought I was safe with my McPooter.
The proper way to remove all known virii from Mac systems, is to low-level format the HDD, then use a high-pressure washer to clean that nasty copper-looking stuff from the system board. Sea water (do not filter out the sand!) does a nice job. The keyboard and mouse should be dipped slowly and carefully into warm acetone or methyl isobutyl ketone for a period not to exceed seven months. Finish the job with a couple of AK-47 rounds directly into the centre of the CRT.
This is a primary sign of the virulent virus “Maccus Advocaticus Ignoramus”, first discovered in Cupertino, California (USA). in the 1970s, and is related to the benign virus “Smokus Dopicus”, of the strain “Wow, Man, The Colors!”. You must immediately follow the procedure detailed above!
I’d better scan my Outlook Express. I just forgot dealing with the Bill effect (Gates, Whedon–SOSDW).
Oh. I see. You have the old version. You need to upgrade to “Outlook Espresso”, which will handle any known virii by keeping them up all night quoting poetry by T.S. Eliot and insulting them in pidjin French. A couple sleepless nights like that, they will evacuate the system on their own.
Why go to all that trouble Serpent; agent orange works a treat.
Seriously folks, the advice never to open attachments you weren’t expecting, don’t believe that the virus is from the person it appears to be from and warn that person straight away are all vital parts of the fight against klez.
What a funny name for a virus. Do you think it was invented by someone who hates klezmer? Now I have the klezmer virus really badly but I’m not not looking for a cure.
