Oh, oh.
Ok....well, I'm going to have to make an announcement of sorts. (sigh)
I've been working with a couple of people off list that have contracted the
BadTrans Virus. It's a bad one, as the name implies. I will send through
a full statement and informational post following this...
However, I need to plead with every last one of you on this list......do
NOT under ANY circumstances open ANY attachments......whether you think
it's safe, whether they are from your mother, or even from yourself! This
thing has spread like wildfire, and has some tricks that it uses that most
others don't. It takes the names of those it sends to from the
INBOX......unopened mail! Most viruses send from addresses that it gleans
from people's address books.
If you use Norton, you can Scan an attachment BEFORE it is opened. Just by
right clicking on the file. Remember.....RIGHT click. Also, you need to
have the Antivirus program updated later than April 18. I have learned
from the other list admins, that if you have McAffee, that it will NOT
detect the virus if you have an older version of the program on your
machine. For some reason, it isn't capable of detecting this type of
virus. Also, if you are running a virus program that was installed with a
new machine, for goodness sake, go out and buy an up to date version. Most
of the time these already installed ones aren't full fledged programs, and
are older versions.
I can't stress enough that this does NOT come through the Rootsweb system
or machines. The Rootsweb servers are UNIX machines, and not capable of
contracting Windows viruses. Besides that, Rootsweb does NOT send out
attachments.
Remember, please that though this thing says that it comes from a
particular person, it does NOT in reality. The person has NO idea that
they are infected, and the attachment is only being sent by the VIRUS
itself. It attaches itself to a person's system, and that is how it is
able to send w/o the person being aware of it.
So Karen, your message wasn't from Barbara, but was from the virus that she
has contracted.
Sending it to toss spam won't help, because it isn't spam. It's a
virus. In fact, I just received one too, as I'm writing this.
Ok...now, I ask please, please, just don't everyone go into a panic over
this. If you stay calm, use your head, and do NOT open ANY attachments w/o
scanning them first, you'll be fine. It's in the opening of these things
that gets you infected. Just getting them won't do any harm. Opening them
activates the virus to do it's thing.
Also, I would suggest that all of you set your Antivirus programs to scan
the mail as it comes in.
This is about all for now......following this post, I will send a post that
George Durman sent that I've received permission to pass on. No one can
explain it better than him. Read carefully, and follow the directions, and
you'll all be virus free.
As I receive the attachments indicating certain people are infected, I am
removing them from the list until such time as they are virus free. That
way, the possibilities of it spreading are at least dimished.
Any questions regarding this, PLEASE contact me privately.
Thanks for reading! You're a great group.......my pride and joy! :))
Mari
List Admin
At 08:19 PM 4/24/01 , Okcee50(a)aol.com wrote:
Chapman-L
Mari,
I was sent some spam mail today through this message board.
E Mail address babsy(a)neo.rr.com with a file attachment. I didn't open and
sent it on to TOSSspam.
Karen Chapman