posted on August 8, 2001 10:13:42 AM new
I'm a bit paranoid lately regarding eMail and viruses. If an email looks vaguely suspicious but has no attachment, is it OK to open it? Is it just the attachment part that does harm or does opening just the email cause damage?
I just had an email with the subject line written in German but it had the word 'eBay' in it and I deleted it right away thinking it was possibly a virus/worm type but then again it could have been a legitimate eBay question from someone!
posted on August 8, 2001 11:31:08 AM new
I had a terrible experience yesterday with an email virus. Please be aware that you can't get a virus unless you open an attachement that contains it. So don't open any attachments!! I made the mistake and did that and oh gosh I was in trouble. Thank goodness I have a son who knows his stuff and was able to fix it. Here is a copy of the letter we sent to the person who sent us the virus (without knowing it).
Cxxx, today I was made aware of a potentially harmful virus that you inadvertly sent to me via e-mail.. This particular virus name is W95.MTX. It infects your WSOCK32.DLL which then attaches itself as a file to all your outgoing e-mail. Anyone that opens the attachment will in turn also be affected and spread the virus in the same fashion to others..
There is a quick and easy way to determine if you are still infected.. Simply open up your web browser and try to access www.symantec.com. If you get a windows error and the program closes, you are infected. The virus is particularly clever and will not allow you to access anti-virus software distributor's websites, such as McAfee and Symantec. It is a newer virus, so if you have not recently updated your virus software's definitions it will not detect it. If you are infected, you will need to update your virus software's definitions and scan your computer. You will also need to replace your WSOCK32.DLL file from your Windows CD. I wish I could be of more help to you, but I just wanted to make you aware of the problem so that you can remedy it ASAP.
posted on August 8, 2001 12:05:20 PM newPlease be aware that you can't get a virus unless you open an attachement that contains it.
This isn't totally true. If you have active x turned on in your mail program, you can get "script" viruses like the KAK worm, simply by "previewing" the email.
Turning off active x (and java, and any other "script" reading) in your email program will stop these.
posted on August 8, 2001 01:20:57 PM new
Be sure and have a virus protection such as Norton, etc. software, and you won't have to worry about opening emails! But do not open attachements!!!!
posted on August 8, 2001 04:51:18 PM new
I wouldn't know about anything on AOL (except some people on AOL have spam filters that keep me from emailing them, but that's another story )
In (my copy of) Out Look Express at the very top of the mailer, there are "pull downs".
)
