Tammy et al,
I'm not even sure about updates, since I updated mine just prior to midnight last
night. When I opened my mail this morning, it
went crazy. I update frequently. This virus is time sensitive. It was here in my
computer before it activated.
Mine did not show any attachment. However, when I opened the email ( a response to a
query I posted) A msg did pop up saying:
"File data corrupt probably due to bad data transmission or bad disk access."
This msg doesn't really look like it's saying "You
just got a virus!" so who would know? One of the characteristics of this virus is
that it's polymorphic, which may means it's
designed to change it's name, etc. (I've contacted an expert/friend who will
answer that for me.)
Shirl
----- Original Message -----
From: "DRP" <dpursley(a)eaznet.com>
To: <INJAY-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 6:29 PM
Subject: [INJAY] Re: Virus cleaned - received through rootsweb
Hello Everyone!! :0)
I am on several other lists, and one of the most wonderful lists I am on
was hit very hard with viruses. That may be because people are
constantly writing (I receive 20 to 40 letters a day almost all about
genealogy). I had just signed up on that list, and
had this Badtrans virus sent to my computer, but my McAfee did catch
it. I am subscribed to the
McAfee.com Clinic. About once every three
to four days, McAfee lets me know that there are updates to the DAT
files, I go there and download them (takes about 5 minutes). I am not
sure if everyone knows that you have to get updates for your antivirus
software, new viruses come out all of the time, and they (McAfee,
Norton, etc.) have to come up with new files to protect against these.
The Badtrans virus was discovered "in-the-wild" appx. 4/12/01 (that
wasn't even a month ago), so if your DAT files had not been updated
since then, you probably just didn't have the protection.
McAfee.com
Clinic was only around $39.99 for one year. The Clinic comes with
several other options, not just VirusScan, but I believe you can just
get VirusScan Online for around $20.00/year. I think that it is a
wonderful program.
The Badtrans virus that was sent to me was with an attachment. I have
read a lot of information about it, including information
from Norton and McAfee, and they say it comes in a randomly chosen
attachment. It spreads by sending copies of itself to all unread email
found on the infected computer. It also carries a password stealing
Trojan Horse. Badtrans arrives as an email, usually carrying a subject
line in response to an email you have previously sent. The body of the
email reads "Take a look to the attachment." Badtrans randomly chooses
from one of the following file names for its attachment: Pics.ZIP.scr,
images.pif, README.TXT.pif, New_Napster_Site.DOC.scr, news_doc.scr,
hamster.ZIP.scr, You_are_Fat!.TXT.pif, searchURL.scr,
SETUP.pif, Card.pif, Me_nude.AVI.pif, Sorry_about_yesterday.DOC.pif,
s3msong.MP3.pif, docs.scr, Humor.TXT.pif, fun.pif If one of
these is opened, Badtrans displays this message: "File data corrupt
probably due to bad data transmission or bad disk access." You are then
infected.
I received a reply to a message I had posted on the list, and like any
genealogist was very excited for a possible tidbit on a family I am
researching. Like I said, luckily I had my antivirus software up to
date, and it caught it. I am sending this email out
for your information as a person who was almost infected, and did a
little research to make sure I understood it, so I could warn others.
Hope this helps you all out! :0)
Tammy Pursley
researching Hammonds in Jay Co.
P.S. There were about three or four people on the list that were
infected, and by no fault of their own were infecting others. They had
to be unsubscribed from the list by the list owner. That kept their
computers from sending reply's to everyone else,
and thereby keeping them from infecting others on the list. Once they
get their computers clean, they can resubscribe.
==== INJAY Mailing List ====
Genealogy Look Up Forum:
http://expage.com/genealogylookup
==============================
Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project:
Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com