One In 17 E-mails Contains Virus

I was reading this today in The Sun newspaper, which got me thinking (I know, it doesnt happen often but here goes) that not everyone might have seen this in there own Newspaper!

ONE IN 17 EMAILS CONTAINS VIRUS

The internet was facing meltdown last night as the worlds worst ever computer virus left millions of systems crippled. The SOBIG.F virus is causing havoc for businessess and personal users by boosting the flow of email by 60 Per Cent. One in 17 emails now contains the virus which is believed to have originated in America on Monday.

It has already struck in at least 148 countries.

Machines are also being left vunerable to hackers who can access user's personal details such as credit card numbers and bank details. The virus spreads when users open attachments sent in emails, usually with the headings such as "Thank You", "Re: Details" or "Re: Approved".

The attachments end with with letters "pif".

When the recipient opens the attachment by clicking on it, the virus searches the computer for other email addresses and bombards them with an identical email. It is the third major virus to hit computers in the past week after the MSBlaster worm and Nachi virus which caused computers using Microsoft Windows to crash.

But there could be WORSE to come, experts have warmed.

Paul Wood, Chief information analyst at internet security firm MessagesLabs, said: " One in 17 e-mails sent around the world since Mondy have been affected by "SoBig.F." It's unprecedented in our history. We stopped over one million infections in the first day. It's a pretty frightening statistic and the next incarnation could be even worse."

Virus-writing is fast becoming the new graffiti among teenage and twenty-somthings desperate to make their mark on a global scale. Known as "Script-kiddies", the cyber nerds are named after the lines of the text that make-up the viruses. Recipients are duped into opening attachments, often with the lure of jokes or sexy images.

Jack Clark, who detects infectious programs for anti-virus software company McAfee, Said: "This is incredibly serious. It is a global threat and everyone is suffering from it". That doesnt mean to say everyone's machines is affected but it has spread fast. This lastest outbreak shows people still havent learnt any lessons from virus alerts in the past. They are still complacent when it comes to double-clicking and opening attachments, even if they are unsure who's sent them or what they contain. This was unlike previous virus emails which promised a look at Kylie's bum or other picture's. It didnt have anything like that but millions were still curious enough to open it.

All of this can be avoided by keeping your anti-virus soft-ware up-to-date and following basic rules like not opening attachments you havent asked for".



He recommends the following websites to run a simple program that will scan your machine and clean it if necessary.

www.vil.nai.com... and follow the on screen instructions.

www.securityresponse.symantec.com... and click on the "check for security risks" buttom.


I think William or somebody else has already mentioned the Microsoft patch to protect yourself from the Blaster, but here it is again.

www.windows.com...



Well I suppose by the time I put this out, someone else has already done the same, so will apologise now if Im only repeating somebody else. I know William did mention it in brief earlier on, so here goes!



Oh! here's the link for the story (thats if it works)

www.thesun.co.uk...




blackwidow


PS: Im only trying to do my bit guys


PPS: For some reason my links arent working now, so if you go to "thesun.co.uk" site and click on Home then News you should eventually come too the article (sorry guys?????)

[Edited on 22-8-2003 by blackwidow666]

I must be lucking out cause I hardly get any email at all...

TheyWatchYouToo:

I've been luck as well, as (touch wood) I have never been attack by and bad virus as yet, but nothing is really safe is it?


blackwidow

What I don't understand is how the virus is so easily "transmitted", for want of a better word.

The way I see it, the only way your going to fall for it is if one of your friends talks like a spam-bot. Otherwise, it's really easy to spot the phoneys, don't you think? If there is a random attachment to a mail from a friend, I usually ask first........common sense. The only reason this virus works so well seems to be that a god many internet users are downright "foolish". Ah well, I have faith that most of you wouldn't fall for the viruses anyway.......