How does one catch a virus?
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
Generally email attachments are the most common way I would have thought. I got sent nimda yesterday ( or I presume so, I got an email with a random header that asked me to save or open when the message had focus in Outlook ). If you don't download warez then an email attachment seems the most likely way of getting you to execute someones code on your PC. Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
Nowadays you can get viruses just by using Outlook/OE. The Nimba virus sends an HTML email containing an <iframe> tag that exploits an Outlook/OE bug, which results in the attachment being hidden from view and automatically run. Yet Another Reason to avoid Outlook/OE. Heck, I use Eudora Light 3 because it's plaintext only. None of this HTML/ActiveX-in-email bullcrap. --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
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Nowadays you can get viruses just by using Outlook/OE. The Nimba virus sends an HTML email containing an <iframe> tag that exploits an Outlook/OE bug, which results in the attachment being hidden from view and automatically run. Yet Another Reason to avoid Outlook/OE. Heck, I use Eudora Light 3 because it's plaintext only. None of this HTML/ActiveX-in-email bullcrap. --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
Does this outlook/OE bug still occur with all the Outlook patches and IE6? Michael :-)
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
While email attachments are the most common methods, I believe that with the recent growth of peer-to-peer file sharing that takes place today, it will not be long before virus writers start putting code into the various audio and video file types. Getting a player to then execute this code shouldn't be too difficult a job either, given that a lot of them have developed plug-in API's for customizing the player. The old axiom of "If you don't execute it, it can't infect you.", will eventually go by the wayside. My firewall at home as of Tuesday now generates 500+ alerts every day of inbound HTTP requests. Prior to that, I used to average less than 10 a day. Who said that "Data Processing" would ever get dull? ;) Chris
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Does this outlook/OE bug still occur with all the Outlook patches and IE6? Michael :-)
Certainly not if you take the sensible precaution of putting OE6 into 'Restricted Zone' in the Security tab, and to make extra sure altering Restricted Zone to disable everything.
Andy Hassall (andy@andyh.org) Space - disk usage analysis tool
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Does this outlook/OE bug still occur with all the Outlook patches and IE6? Michael :-)
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Thanks for the info. I don't tend to use Outlook Express too much but it is always nice to know what holes exist and which have been patched. Michael :-)
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
what kind of virus:-O Cheers Chris Muander
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
The most common method of spreading a virus is either over short distances through the air, or through unprotected sex. Goats are another good transmitter, but you’ll have to ask John about that one. David Wulff dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com
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The most common method of spreading a virus is either over short distances through the air, or through unprotected sex. Goats are another good transmitter, but you’ll have to ask John about that one. David Wulff dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com
But if my eyes are closed during the sexual intercourse, I'm totally safe, right? :-D Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com
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Nowadays you can get viruses just by using Outlook/OE. The Nimba virus sends an HTML email containing an <iframe> tag that exploits an Outlook/OE bug, which results in the attachment being hidden from view and automatically run. Yet Another Reason to avoid Outlook/OE. Heck, I use Eudora Light 3 because it's plaintext only. None of this HTML/ActiveX-in-email bullcrap. --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
Doesn't it depend on your settings though ? I got it sent to me yesterday, and yes, it tried to run, but it just meant I got a 'do you want to open this file or save it to your HDD' message. I know I should stop using Outlook, but I'm used to it ;) Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
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Doesn't it depend on your settings though ? I got it sent to me yesterday, and yes, it tried to run, but it just meant I got a 'do you want to open this file or save it to your HDD' message. I know I should stop using Outlook, but I'm used to it ;) Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
Doesn't it depend on your settings though? From what you say, it looks like it does depend on settings. I wouldn't know for sure, not being an Outlook user and all. ;) --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
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Doesn't it depend on your settings though? From what you say, it looks like it does depend on settings. I wouldn't know for sure, not being an Outlook user and all. ;) --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
I'm hoping so - I was asking for my own peace of mind. It was a bit of a shock to realise that the email was launching the virus, and I am assuming I am uninfected, but as I have no virus software, I can't really be sure until my system dies. Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
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Nowadays you can get viruses just by using Outlook/OE. The Nimba virus sends an HTML email containing an <iframe> tag that exploits an Outlook/OE bug, which results in the attachment being hidden from view and automatically run. Yet Another Reason to avoid Outlook/OE. Heck, I use Eudora Light 3 because it's plaintext only. None of this HTML/ActiveX-in-email bullcrap. --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ Ford: How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford after all, but from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelguese? Arthur: I don't know. Why, do you think it's the sort of thing you're likely to say?
I avoid a lot of crap by setting the security zone for HTML mail to Restricted Sites in the settings for Outlook. > Andrew
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Are viruses such as those currently going around spread through email attachments, or are there other common ways of distributing them? Josh josh@that-guy.net
Assuming we are talking about the "Nimda" Worm. not the flu. :) There are two ways : Email The worm spreads via email by sending a copy of itself within a mail that exploits the security vulnerability discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-020. As the bulletin describes, the vulnerability lies in Internet Explorer, but can be exploited via email. Simply opening the email itself would be sufficient to infect the machine – it would not be necessary to open an attachment. Web Servers: When the worm attacks IIS 4.0 and 5.0 Web servers, it does so through either of two means. First, it checks to see if the computer was previously compromised by the Code Red II worm, which creates a "back door" that any malicious user can use later to gain control of the system. If the Nimda worm finds such a computer, it simply uses the back door created by Code Red II to infect the system. Second, the worm attempts to exploit the "Web Server Folder Traversal" vulnerability. If it succeeds in exploiting this vulnerability, the worm uses it to infect the system Here is the BAD PART
Infected machines attempt to pass the infection to web servers by either locating an
already compromised server, or by exploiting a known security vulnerability in Internet
Information Server. Once infected, a web server will attempt to infect the machines
of any users that visit it.Cheers Alfadhly It is Illogical to define an inventor by his invention
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I'm hoping so - I was asking for my own peace of mind. It was a bit of a shock to realise that the email was launching the virus, and I am assuming I am uninfected, but as I have no virus software, I can't really be sure until my system dies. Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
Christian go have a look at the Symantec site, it has a link on the front page to information on the virus. You need to look in the system.ini and the %windir%\system directory for a couple of files, if they are there then you have it , if not you don't. I saved the file to disk, scanned it which came up clean so I ran it to see the pretty pictures nothing happened and so far no virii. Michael Martin Pegasystems Pty Ltd Australia martm@pegasystems.com +61 413-004-018 "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace" - Victor Stone
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But if my eyes are closed during the sexual intercourse, I'm totally safe, right? :-D Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com
Only if you are in the UK, also standing on the Yellow Pages is also a known form of birth control. These answers were two of many from a recent survey in the UK of adolescents and methods of birth control. Amazing that people can be so FiretrUCKING stupid and still capable of breathing and walking at the same time. Michael Martin Pegasystems Pty Ltd Australia martm@pegasystems.com +61 413-004-018 "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace" - Victor Stone
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Only if you are in the UK, also standing on the Yellow Pages is also a known form of birth control. These answers were two of many from a recent survey in the UK of adolescents and methods of birth control. Amazing that people can be so FiretrUCKING stupid and still capable of breathing and walking at the same time. Michael Martin Pegasystems Pty Ltd Australia martm@pegasystems.com +61 413-004-018 "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace" - Victor Stone
Have you got the list ? Sounds hilarious. I thought closing your eyes was a sign you'd made a bad choice. I'm not sure where the Yellow Pages idea comes from, except that it does not sound comfortable. Christian As I learn the innermost secrets of the around me, they reward me in many ways to keep quiet. Men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought Jewellery.
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Only if you are in the UK, also standing on the Yellow Pages is also a known form of birth control. These answers were two of many from a recent survey in the UK of adolescents and methods of birth control. Amazing that people can be so FiretrUCKING stupid and still capable of breathing and walking at the same time. Michael Martin Pegasystems Pty Ltd Australia martm@pegasystems.com +61 413-004-018 "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace" - Victor Stone
There sure are some thick people out there, and the scarey thing is you really do meet them in the street... :| David Wulff dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com