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----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Kuenning" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 5:29 PM
Subject: Re: Viruses


> Like most of its brethren of the past year, the current
> "MyDoom/Novarg" worm (technically, it's not a virus) forges e-mail
> From: addresses.  When you get an infected message, the one thing you
> can be sure of is that it did NOT come from the person listed in the
> From: line.  So it's not at all clear that a list member was the
> guilty party.
>
> The very best defense against e-mail worms is to practice "attachment
> hygiene".  That means your e-mail software should be configured so
> that it NEVER opens an attachment without your permission.  No cute
> sounds when you mouse over a message, no little pictures popping up,
> nothing.  You, the owner, should also never open unknown attachments.
> If you weren't expecting something from a correspondent, don't open it.
>
> (To be fair, the MyDoom/Novarg worm also spreads via Kazaa.  I don't
> know enough about Kazaa to tell you how to defend against that part of
> the attack.)
>
> Note that Microsoft Outlook is one of the very worst offenders in
> spreading worms.  If you use Outlook, you might wish to consider
> switching to a safer mail reader.  At a minimum, make sure you have
> all the security updates, and be sure you turn off all the attachment
> features.  (Sorry, I can't tell you how.  I mistrust Outlook to the
> point where I won't even install it in a clean-room environment.)
> --
>     Geoff Kuenning   geoff@cs.hmc.edu   http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~geoff/
>
> Windows XP is the "most reliable Windows ever," which is like saying
> that asparagus is "the most articulate vegetable ever."
>         -- Dave Barry
>


I agree entirely with the thrust of your post. My point was not to suggest
to "bad guys" in the group,or guilty parties, but to alert to the fact that
this group had fallen within the virus/worm/etc hold. Its like bad breath, o
nly your friends can tell you about it!!

The best defense against these current and ongoing problems is for members
to install and continuously update anti virus software...It is my belief
that to  not do so is acting irresponsibly towards the other members of the
group.

This is a wonderful group...... it would be an absolute shame for it to be
compromised by the disturbances on the internet.

Lee Martin

PS you are right, the two viruses sent (alledgedly) by the Nav-L List Server
were MyDoom, the other virus was something obscure, intercepted by my ISP,
originating from Estonia..

   

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