posted on February 3, 2004 05:50:48 PM
Hello All, I am worried about all the computer worms that are around. My question is, when I run a full system scan through my Norton Anti virus and the scan says no virus can my computer still have a virus or worm? Can a worm or virus hide itself from Norton's anti virus scans?
posted on February 3, 2004 06:22:01 PM
As long as you keep your virus software up to date, you should be fine. I use ETrust EZ Antivirus (it's free for one year) and it updates itself daily. It has caught every single virus trying to come in through an email and one from an online download. If your software is working properly, you shouldn't have to worry. I also use a firewall by the same company. It comes as a package called ETrust EZ Armor.
posted on February 3, 2004 06:28:13 PM
I have Norton AntiVirus and Norton Firewall. So far so good...
It's a good idea to run the live updates periodically.
The only goofy thing I've gotten is a few Mailer-Daemon non-delivery notices in the past couple of days. Which means someone who has my email addy on their computer has a virus that's spoofing my email address in stuff being sent from them. Sure wish I knew who it was - I'd want to let them know they've been highjacked.
Lucy
I grow old...I grow old...I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. T.S. Eliot
posted on February 3, 2004 06:57:32 PM
Thanks Blev & MsLucy, I feel better after your replies. Hey Lucy, I know just how T.S.Eliot felt. I'm an old guy with short legs. LOL.
posted on February 3, 2004 07:33:13 PM
Coming from a computer background -- just to insure that you actually have NO viruses, run the free AV scanners located at symantec.com /trendmicro.com or pandasoftware.com.
Several AV manufacturers keep free scanners available that are updated to find the latest viruses.
http://lwright.biz/index.html
posted on February 3, 2004 08:47:20 PM
All I can say is you are as safe as I am. I have done exactly as you have (I keep My A/V up to date),& have NO virus in my system. Alfred Etc. It is a great poem, haven't read ir in decades.
[ edited by sanmar on Feb 3, 2004 08:51 PM ]
posted on February 3, 2004 09:05:06 PM
OhMsLucy, those non-delivery notices you've been getting are more likely to be the worm- that's one of the emails it sends. I've gotten many of them, and I am on a mac- I know I am not sending anything out. but still- Blechh!
When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
posted on February 5, 2004 10:44:11 AM
Dragon Mom, You don't have to be old to wear a red hat & purple dress, only 55. My sweetie is in the Red Society. For Valentines Day, I ordered a RED Weatern hat for her so she will have a change of hats. Her dgtrs gave her a hat & purple slacks & jacket for Xmas. This a no purpose just fun & food group.
posted on February 5, 2004 03:27:40 PM
I recently posted two cents worth of opinion about computer problems to a group I joined. Even if you have a major virus scan it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion. And there are many actors!
THE post:
You should be on the alert for virus', trojans, spyware, and tracking cookies. And, of course there is the instant message problem, the pop up problem, and the spam problem.
Ravantivirus.com take the best bite out of virus', do the free scan. Trojanscan.com lets you know if you have trojans and Adaware from lavasoft is free and removes bad cookies.
Closing back doors on your computer, such as the door for being a LAN hub and the door for IM is more of a choice and you should study this before you make a move. Is it for you? Pop-up killers abound, many people get this free from their ISP. Spam is a hinkey problem, dinosaurs like AOL actually remove some mail you may want. It is best to peruse your junk mail or spam before deleting it.
FOUR WARNINGS!
1.)Never, ever, click on a link in an email. If you have it in favorites, access the site from there. Otherwise, type the location in physically. Hint: type in where you want to go and then hit Control+Enter for a complete .com URL, try it with MSN or eBay.
2.)Don't use Outlook. Period.
3.)Do not open attachments on email, unless you were expecting it!
4.)Be aware of URL spoofing, the masking of a redirection of your attention to a bogus site. See http://www.netsquirrel.com/spoof/index.html for an explanation. Yup that's a link(originally) and my advice is to TYPE netsquirrel into your address bar, then hold down CONTROL while you press ENTER. Then, well heck, start reading.
Mind boggling, all the crap MSN has allowed to befall their cash paying customers in the interest of profit. In my opinion many of these problems exist to force you to get their patch at a later date. To get a patch you have to be registered, shame on you if you have a bootleg program--TOO BAD, LOVE, MICROSOFT. Thus we suffer a lot of this BS to make Bill Gates richer. BTW, support for Windows 98 will end soon, download all the patches for your Windows 98 program to a separate disk. Why? So you will still have them to reinstall if you ever have to fdisk your hard drive.
Not to give away my age, but I remember typing my programs to punch card for computer entry. Many of these problems are sad, purposely created holes in programs. Others are corruptions sapping the life out of otherwise useful conventions.
Hope this helps. Oh, and there are worms, too.............
The most recent worm masks itself as returned email. So, just delete any mailer return email.
posted on February 5, 2004 03:40:58 PM
I wonder, Lucy and Sanmar, if students are still taught T. S. Eliot. Prufrock certainly stuck with me. I also loved e.e.cummings.
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"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
