I wish we wouldn't do virus/worm warnings on the list.
Otherwise, there are so many new ones coming out every week we'll
soon be a virus list and won't talk about trees any more.

But, just remember, Microsoft does NOT inform users of viruses,
worms, or Trojan thises or thats via e-mail or any other means.
And, unless you belong to some group who keeps an eye on these
things, no one else does, either. MICROSOFT ALSO DOES NOT SEND
SECURITY PATCHES VIA E-MAIL. NOT EVER, EVER, EVER. You go to
the Microsoft web site to download patches -- and you should do
it regularly. See below.

There are several newsgroups devoted to viruses & etc. and you
can check with them daily, and your virus-checking software (you
ALL have that and keep it up to date, yes?) also has a website
(Norton or Symantic/McAffee) that has more info than you can use.

1. If you get an e-mail from someone you don't know (including a
company like M'soft) informing you that there's a virus lurking
in your neighborhood, it is either a hoax or it is the virus
itself. DELETE THE DAMNED THING. If you get a virus warning
from someone you know, CHECK WITH THEM FIRST BEFORE OPENING ANY
ATTACHMENT. They may not have sent it.

2. If you get a message with an attachment from someone you
don't know, DELETE it! If you get one with an attachment from
someone you DO know and they didn't let you know it was coming,
ASK them, and scold them about no warning.

3. But most important, KEEP YOUR VIRUS DATA FILES UP TO DATE.
Last week's files aren't good enough any more. And set your
virus program to scan every e-mail message, attachment and
download from the Internet!

4. If you are a Windows user, sign on to "Windows Update" (Win
98 and above) or check the M'soft website for updates/patches
regularly. That will help to plug the 3,984,879,098 glitches
M'soft has found in the Windows software (SO FAR). Go he
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

The other option is to switch to Linux or the Mac. There are so
few users of each that few viruses are targeted at them.

Now, ENOUGH ON VIRUSES!

DO NOT RESPOND ON LIST.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL -- Bonsai List
manager



PROBLEM: A new worm named Swen appeared this morning
masquerading as a patch for a
Microsoft Windows patch. The spread of the worm is being helped
along by computer users
who dutifully install the patch (worm) and pass it on.
PLATFORM: Windows
DAMAGE: Helpful users install and pass on the worm.
SOLUTION: 1. Keep your antivirus software up to date.
2. Do not execute attachments that you are not expecting.
3. Do not install patches received as e-mail attachments.
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT: The risk is HIGH. Current viruses
and worms install
backdoors in systems that allow remote intruders to take over
and use those systems.
Usage includes spying, industrial espionage, e-mail spamming,
creation of porno sites,
proxy servers, etc.
=======
Alan Walker wrote:
I've been getting a lot of spam from Microsoft today. This
raised my suspicions and
I checked at http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/ and found the following
warning. I haven't
sent this type of warning before, but I hope some of you will
not fall victim to
this latest worm, since it looks quasi-official by posing as
being from Microsoft.
====
Security Awareness Notes:
9/18/03
** Swen Worm (aka: Gibe) ** Beware of the latest Internet
worm masquerading as
a security patch sent by Microsoft which is spreading fast
around the world. Visit
CIAC's Bulletin N-153 New Worms and Helpful Computer Users for
more information.
===

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