This new one is not spread from emails but though the internet. It
started in Europe and is spreading at a rapid rate across the world as
we all wake up and turn on our computers. Here is a blurb from the
Rueters news service.
"If you take a normal Windows PC and connect to the Internet,
you will
be infected in 10 minutes (without protection)," Mikko Hypponen,
Anti-Virus research director at Finnish data security firm F-Secure
<FSC1V.HE>, told Reuters.
"It seems to be gradually getting worse, but it could jump as the U.S.
wakes up," he said.
F-Secure says the worm, which surfaced over the weekend, automatically
spreads via the Internet to computers using the Microsoft <MSFT.O>
Windows operating system, especially Windows 2000 and XP.
The spread of the virus has been muted so far, Hypponen said, as it
emerged on a weekend, and with holidays closing offices in places like
the United Kingdom and Japan on Monday.
But the spread was expected to worsen as the work week hits its
stride, Hypponen said, adding he believes the worm originated in Russia.
Here is info about it from Norton's Symantic Security:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sasser.b.worm...
There are two precautions you need to take to protect yourself from
these types of attacks which seem to becoming prevalent.
1. Get regular updated patches from Microsoft at:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
2. Get a firewall program.
Saturday night, I was warned by my ISP (SBC) of this coming threat.
Yesterday, I was in San Francisco all day and when I got home late last
night. I took care of my email and forgot about it. This morning I had
another email from my ISP and at the time I was reading it, on the
radio, they were reporting about the Sasser. So I stopped reading my
mail and updated my Windows patches and finally bought a Norton Firewall
($50) and four hours later have all installed. One of the Window
patches I downloaded was a program to alert me when a new security patch
was available. That way I can't forget to do regular checks.
I know virus/worm protection is not genealogy related but since we are
all doing genealogy on the computer it is important to be aware of the
newest ways to protect ourselves. As the list administrator I believe
it is my duty to bring these warnings to you attention.
Now, I need some help since I am ignorant on how this firewall is
working and getting all these strange messages about files trying to
invade my computer when surfing from website to website. The dialog
boxes asks me if I want to block the file, and I don't know what I am
actually blocking. Does anyone know where I can go on the net to find
out more? Thanks.
--
Pat Connors, Sacramento CA, list admin
http://www.connorsgenealogy.com
All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton