computer Viruses, Worms, and Trojans

Here are some of the Email Viruses/Worms I have received lately:

• W32Klez varient (received 2002-04-21)
• BADtrans
  
• Sircam
  This Worm actually mails the files in C:\My Documents to everyone in your address book with the worm attached. This has three negative effects: 1) it spreads the worm, 2) it sends your confidential information to people you know, 3) it can effectively mailbomb the recipient. I got so many copies of this worm, from people I did not know in obscure countries (who were probably on the same mailing list I am on) that I was effectively mailbombed. I setup my computer to bounce all of them so I don't know how many copies are still circulating.
• Nimda
  This worm infects files on your local machine, infects other computers on the local network, sends itself via email, attacks web servers from your machine, and infects html files on your machine which you may later upload to your webserver. Uses javascript to permit infection of windows machines from html files.

Even if you don't think your computer is important, you are morally liable and could be held legally liable if someone uses your insecure computer, or information stolen from it, to launch an attack on other peoples computers. You can be prosecuted for criminal negligence and sued for damages.

If you have been infected with an email worm, you must:

• Remove the worm
• Remove the security holes created by the worm
• Notify the people in your address book, recent correspondents, and any two-way mailing lists you are subscribed to that you were infected and you may have passed the infection on to them.
• Intstall all microsoft security updates which apply to your system.
• Make sure you have up to date anti-virus software installed on your system which scans all files daily, scans all web downloads, scans all incoming email, and regularly downloads new virus definitions.
• Stop using microsoft software for email. No Microsoft Outlook. No Outlook Express. No internet explorer. Use a third party program such as: pegasus or Eudora. Of the two, pegasus appears more secure than Eudora. You can also use the mail portion of the opera web browser (with java/javascript disabled).
• Stop using microsoft software for web browsing. Switch to opera with java/javascript disabled, or Netscape with java/javascript disabled.
• Disable Java, Javascript, etc. in your web browser.

Don't even think about emailing me with questions about Microsoft Windoze or any application which runs under Windoze.

For more information on anti-virus software, visit: Open Directory Project - Top: Computers:Security:Anti Virus

Computer viruses and email worms are almost entirely a microsoft windows and Macintosh phenonmenon. There are some viruses which work on unix systems but they can not spread unless you do something stupid because the operating systems security features prevent the spread of viruses.

Visit my Security Pages for more information on computer security.