Catrionas Tool?

[Dave]

I just got an email?

Subject: A powful tool
This is a special powful tool
I wish you would enjoy it.

WTF?

Dave.

[Catriona]

Sounds like a virus to me TL seems to have just got infected by one (me and KF have had some infected mails from him, and when I mailed him about it he said he accidentally opened a suspicious mail.. oops ), so it could well be spreading through the people on these forums... bloody things

[speedyV]

Sounds like Klez isn't being shy.

Solution --> www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_KLEZ.H

[Blair]

Sorry to anybody if I've infected you. At first it sent it to my address on this forum (tl@.....) but then it started sending it to addresses on my BTCC site. I've had 25+ emails from the "Mail Delivery System" to say the emails that's been sent cannot be delivered, seems to be sending them to totally random addresses...

I had (and still have) my suspicions that somebody is targetting me, so I have deleted all the contacts in Outlook Express. I've printed them out and there's 10 pages of them!

speedy - thats the one - I noticed it when I ran Norton AntiVirus last night though I don't know if I'm rid of it yet.

[Blair]

Dave - just had one from you with the title "introduction to ADSL" and an attachment, looks like you've still got it.

[Dave]

Yeah I think my home computer is infected!

I just realised at work this morning when I accessed my mail via the ukonline website at work and got a undelivered message for a email I hadnt sent!

I put Win ME on my computer a few weeks ago after taking XP off to speed things up for gaming but I didnt put my virus software back on!

Will do so tonight before I connect to the net again, sorry Catriona if I have sent this to you and then your machine has sent it back to me or whatever!

Dave.

[Catriona]

No problems Dave - I haven't had any from you as yet, I think... had about four from TL, but that was it so far. I'm being extra careful with what I open now... almost opened a mail supposedly from Neil, but figured it was worth checking first, considering how many infected mails seem to be bouncing around between us all now

Here's hoping the virus doesn't spread any further - looks like we'll almost all be getting infected mails, anyway... :uhoh:

[NS-R]

I've had a few from TL as well...it's a nightmare once it starts...my anti-virus thingys should hopefully stop any coming from me but you never know...

[davefiddes]

Anti-Virus programs should stop common virii like Klez though they are very ineffective against newer virii unless you update your signatures regularly (once a week - two at the outside).

Use Windows Update regularly (if you use Windows ). The security hole that Klez exploits has been closed for years! It's a free service and something that every Windows user should be doing once a month... I know the first time you do this it will be painful because it will want to download many MB of files but if you are on an unmetred connection then just leave it to grab stuff while you are having tea or something...

If you have Windows Me, 2000 or XP then set it to do automatic updates. It'll silently download any critical security fixes when you are not using the net and tell you when they are ready to install.

If you want to reduce the risk. Use a different email program (or web browser). I can recommend Mozilla or Netscape 7 (and not because I wrote a little bit of it). As an added benefit Mozilla has the ability to turn of viewing pictures inside emails...which is a favoured way of spammers finding out if you have read their filth. It also blocks nasty popup ads and is a lot faster and prettier than IE. IMO.

If you want to be a real paranoid geeky wierdo like me then you can install Linux and run Ximian Evolution for mail and Mozilla for web browsing. I never need to worry about Windows virii

In short you shouldn't be able to get virii if you keep your software up to date with current security patches. Anti-virus and firewall software are a nice safety net but useless unless you update them regularly.

[Blair]

*finger's crossed* it looks like I'm rid of it now. I now regret stopping Norton from automatically updating itself every few days - you know what I'm off to do....

[Catriona]

Ouch, yeah - I've got the auto-updater turned off myself, actually, but that's because it throws a window up when it's done, which not surprisingly causes chaos when I'm running a fullscreen game - not good in the middle of an online race

Surprisingly it only seems to update about once a week at the moment, anyway... I've got into the habit of running a manual update once every day or two, and more often than not it doesn't actually have anything to update :confused:

[davefiddes]

Ghirlracer said:

Surprisingly it only seems to update about once a week at the moment, anyway... I've got into the habit of running a manual update once every day or two, and more often than not it doesn't actually have anything to update

In my experience Norton usually put out updates on Wednesday and its only if there is a particularly nasty new one in the wild that they release interim updates.

Microsoft usually update on Thursday I find though it is a little less important to stay on the bleeding edge as most exploits and viruses rely on very old problems (though as Code Red, SQLSlammer and NIMDA prove you can never be too careful). I figure that a once a month visit to Windows Update is OK.

[Catriona]

I see this virus (or another one) is still floating around the club racing world - just received a bounce mail from Derek Butcher's e-mail address (which I didn't even have before!), for an e-mail supposedly sent from the address I have up on the website... seeing as that's a forwarding address only, like I can receive mail through it, but not send anything, then I guess it's still not me who's got the virus...