Got Protection?

I just discovered that two of our computers had the W32.Klez.H@mm virus. I'm not certain where it came from because this one is really sneaky. I urge you all to make sure you have the latest updates for Windows, IE, and Outlook Express at Microsoft's site.

If it wasn't for our free copy of Zone Alarm I wouldn't have been able to figure which virus we got. Zone Alarm blocked the virus's attempt to send itself back out because the virus uses it's own SMTP engine that Zone Alarm did not recognize. Our subscription to Norton's Live Update just expired so our Norton Anti-Virus didn't catch it. In fact.. one the virus was activated, it KILLED our AV.

For more info on the W32.Klez family check out Symantec's website. They are offering a free detection and removal tool that should be downloaded directly from their site.

Personally, I feel the companies like Symantec and McAfee encourage people to create virus' to show off their skills. Or the creators get paid to keep those companies in business. hmmm...

Comments

They've been accused of that forever.

MacAfee has caught the damn thing twice yesterday and this a.m.

My old boss used to think that if you left the 3.5" floppy disks out of the plastic sleeve that it came in you could get a computer virus.

This virus screwed with my Nortons, which explains the cryptic messages I have been receiving. Took hubby 4 hrs to fix my computer...good thing he knows how to fix 'em.

"...good thing he knows how to fix'em."

I'll second that one for sure! I'd probably make it worse instead of fixing it.

Don't know how anyone could live w/o tech support in their own house!!!

Yikes! Norton caught it seven times on my machine this week.

Though, my take on it is this...I've been getting a lot of spam lately, and I've noticed that usually the virus message follows my getting a spam. I think it's the spammers getting their comeuppance, big time. :)

New virus news: I just got this letter about the Teddy Bear virus, which I'm taking the liberty of excerpting and posting here. Even if you are not in my address book, I suggest y'all do so anyway for the sake of your computers!

"...I picked up a virus this morning from someone who inadvertently sent it to me. Unfortunately, it supposedly affects everyone in my address book so please check for this virus which is not detected by Norton or McAfee antivirus systems. It is known as the Teddy Bear virus and it sits
quietly in your system for 14 days before activating. If you do find it in your system please advise everyone else in your address book..."

"To check for the Teddy Bear virus:

1. Go to your Start menu and click on the Find or Search option
2. In the files/folder name option type in jdbgmgr.exe
3. Be sure to search your C: drive
4. Click "Find Now"
5 The virus has a teddy bear icon with the name jdbgmgr.exe
6 If you have it DO NOT OPEN IT!!!
7 Right click it and delete it. It will then go to your recyle bin
8. Go to your Recycle Bin and delete it from there as well."

Or if you trust your quick fingers, pressing SHIFT+DELETE bypasses the Recycle Bin altogether deletes the sucker right then and there.

WAIT!!! Don't delete anything!

It's a HOAX! See Symantec's site.

You wll be deleting a javascript manager and java applets will not run correctly afterwards.

Oy. Now you're telling me. I remember going through each and every single one of my freaking ".exe" files with a fine tooth comb and wondering if any of this stuff is going to work.

Unfortunately, friend in question runs Win95, which was not covered in the instructions.

Damn them hoaxers!

Bleah. I went and deleted it. All is not lost -- I ended up formatting my hard drive anyway to rectify the mistake of ever converting my hard drive to NTFS five months ago. Damn Windows 2000 is snappy under FAT32.

The formatting toolbar of my email compose box (Outlook 4.0 looks very faded. Could that be a virus? This IS after I click on the message body, it does still work however. I feel like if I could run Internet Explorer 4.0 over the current one ( I don't want to upgrade as I have already tried that and don't like it) I could get a new compose box. Anyway where could I get a copy of 4.0...

My first guess would be to check if you have enabled HTML instead of Plain Text when composing email. I use Outlook Express 6 and when I switch from HTML enabled to Plain Text it removes the formatting tool bar altogether. I can't remember how Outlook 4 does it.

You could also try having Windows Update look at it. Go to www.windowsupdate.com and it will analyize your IE4 and recommend any downloads you may need.

Or try http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp and download any version of Internet Explorer you want.

If you suspect a virus, run the free virus checker from Symantec at http://security2.norton.com/ssc/home.asp

Hope this helps.

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