Salon - - Virus Question

jerry · #1 07-14-2002, 09:20 AM

Hi Folks

In The last couple of days I have been receiving email with virus attachments. In particular the "W32Klez.h@mm" virus. This is a mass mailing worm that is automatically sent from an infected computer to all in its address book. Norton catches it before it is loaded on my machine.

Since a high percentage of my email comes from this forum, I was curious if other people on this site have been getting hit with this virus.

Thanks
Jerry

jeaniesa · #2 07-14-2002, 09:40 AM

Jerry, Norton has been picking it up for me for the past four months. I seem to get at least one daily, but it comes through a different address than the one I use here and I don't know how to stop it other than let Norton pick it up.

There is a variant of the Klez virus (or maybe all variants do this) where it randomly inserts a "from" address taken from the infected computer's address book - so the address is appears to come from is not really the infected computer.

In any case, I do not expect that the viruses I'm getting are in any related to these forums or the people who frequent them because I have yet to get the virus via the address that I use here.

And anyway, since the e-mail addresses are "hidden" on the site, a virus or spam trawler can't pick them up. At least that's how I understand it.

Jeanie

fugitive · #3 07-14-2002, 10:21 AM

I recently installed Mail Washer, so now I have 2 options for email. I ck every piece before it gets to OE or Norton, and if I don't know where it's coming from, it's added to the Blacklist. A nice little app. free too.

chris h · #4 07-14-2002, 11:37 AM

Same here Norton has been catching it.

Jakaleena · #5 07-14-2002, 12:38 PM

Quote:

And anyway, since the e-mail addresses are "hidden" on the site, a virus or spam trawler can't pick them up. At least that's how I understand it.

That's the way I understand it too, unless you add your own address somewhere in your post. If you post it, I think the spam-bots can find it.

I too use Mail Washer thanks to Greg, and it's a great freeware program and it does tell me if mail contains a virus before I even download it. I have AVG antivirus, which works great and also free at www.grisoft.com.

I've been getting the klez thing for about 4 months too, but it has not been able to infect my computer so far.

DJ Dubovsky · #6 07-14-2002, 06:16 PM

Same here but I wasn't getting it from this site. It got into family members system and came to me from them. Norton squashed it for me too. Thank God for that virus protect.
DJ

Ed_L · #7 07-14-2002, 06:46 PM

I'm not saying this is true. But a friend of mine told me there was an investigation into one of the major virus protection companies (Norton, McAfee, etc.). There is concern that they might actually be sending viruses in hopes of keeping the money coming in through sales of their products. I have no idea what kind of evidence, if any, has been found of this activity. But it sure is something to think about.

By the way Jak, thanks for the tip on the AVG protection. I downloaded it, and it looks pretty good. Thanks to Greg too for the tip on Mail Washer.

Ed

jerry · #8 07-15-2002, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the responses

I was curious if this virus was something new to members here but it sounds like it has been around for a while. I'll have to check out the Mail Washer that Fug uses. It sounds like a good program.

Jerry

Blacknight · #9 07-15-2002, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jerry
Thanks for the responses

I was curious if this virus was something new to members here but it sounds like it has been around for a while. I'll have to check out the Mail Washer that Fug uses. It sounds like a good program.

Jerry

Another reason I chose (and yes, it was a factor) to go with Mac. Not that we don't have some viruses and worms, but they are relatively non-existent, and I have not had one for years.