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Virus Alert
 05/04/00
- I Love You - Love Letter Virus
A new strain of virus is
permeating the Internet even as you read this message. This virus
attacks Windows computers which use Outlook Express as the mail
client, and executes malicious code ****without opening an
attachment. Merely by reading an infected message you can spread
the virus to your computer and many others, without your knowledge. This
virus is similiar to the 'Kak-worm' virus, and is only one of the first to
come of this new strain. In our own testing lab, here at Quik Internet, we
have discovered that possibly all strains of this new virus can be avoided
by performing these simple steps:
1. Open Start>Settings>Control
Panel>Internet Options (or 'Internet Tools')
2. Select the 'Security' tab at the top of the configuration window.
3. Select the button, 'Custom level'.
4. Scroll down the list of options until you see 'Script ActiveX controls
marked safe for scripting', and select to 'Disable' this option. Click
'OK'.
After performing these steps, if you receive a virus of this particular
strain, you should see an error message, that indicates that an ActiveX
control in the message is unsafe, and won't be run. You should then alert
the person who sent you the email that they have the virus, and forward
this message to them for removal and preventative maintenance.
If you already have the virus, you should
follow this link, to find out more detailed information, and removal
procedures from icsa.net:
http://www.icsa.net/html/press_related/2000/05_04_00_loveletter.shtml
This virus is no a hoax, and is malevolent
to computer systems. You should protect yourself immediately from this new
threat, and take steps to ensure you are not already infected.
04/19/00
You may have the Kakworm virus
We have seen widespread infections of
computers with the new insidious virus, the 'Kakworm'. This is the first
wild strain of a new type of virus which can infect your computer
without running or opening an attachment. The virus spreads itself
by attaching to emails sent out by you as an ActiveX control, embedded in
the email. Protect yourself now, or remove this virus from your system
with the following links:
Microsoft Kakworm virus patch:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms99-032.asp
Symantec manual removal procedures:
http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/wscript.kakworm.html
It is also notable that you may be able to prevent catching the virus by
setting your Internet security configuration in Control Panel to not run
ActiveX content automatically.
11/15/99
Bubbleboy Infects By Reading Email
Up until now, the general rule was that
you could not be infected by a virus sent to you in email, unless you
executed an attached program. The Bubbleboy virus has changed that. This
new type of virus can infect your computer even if you only read the email
messsage that carries it. This virus has so far not been detected in any
known computer systems outside of it's test environments, save for one
Japanese web site which was apparently infected, but has been inoculated.
Following is an article found on the 'Call For Help' web site of
Ziff-Davis Television:
Beware of Bubbleboy
By Michelle Von Wald
 This
recently detected virus is named after a character in a Seinfeld episode,
but it isn't too funny. Unlike most viruses that pop up each day, this is
noteworthy because it is the first time you can become infected just by
reading your email. It negates previous advice that you could only be
contaminated by opening email attachments. Bubbleboy changes this.
The virus was sent anonymously to an antivirus software firm and is not in
the wild. This means that users have not complained about it infecting
their computers.
The good news is that it doesn't work if you have all of the latest
Windows updates. The critical patch is the ActiveX Eyedog, which updates
for security vulnerabilities.
Follow these steps to update Windows 98:
- Open Internet Explorer
- Go to Tools
- Go to Windows Update
- Check all security patches listed under
critical updates
Windows 3x/9x/NT users can get
information and patch download links at the Microsoft site.
Download the necessary Microsoft patch directly. It's called
"Update for "scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog Vulnerability."
We recommend downloading
the latest Norton Antivirus 2000. It automatically scans for any email
viral threat.
This virus does not affect Macs.
Here is a link to more information about this virus, from ZDTV
Cybercrime News:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdtv/cybercrime/news/story/0,3700,2391415,00.html
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