Yet another reason to protect yourself

I got this via a newsletter I subscribe to. Not positive if you can open it without an account but if not, the things is worth signing up for.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-22_11-5247671.html?tag=e019

 

The same article was posted on CNN new today as well. CNN

Keep your guard up folks!!

 

An email from our security folks that had additional good information

 

There is an article that claims the Russian site has been shut down. But who knows? No confirmation otherwise.
http://news.com.com/Web+site+virus+attack+blunted/2100-7349_3-5248279.html?tag=nefd.top
Anyway, I am pleased that it is not necessary to allow javascript to run in order to visit/view WindowsBBS.

 

With all these viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, malware, and whatever I am more than ever a believer in maintaining a disk image.

Phooey, if push comes to shove, I'll just restore. For most home users, it's the quickest and easiest solution.

 

One of the things that struck me, reading through the details of this particular "bad guy ", is that no matter what you do, you can never completely eliminate risk. You can minimize your vulnerabilities to the best of your ability, but someone is always OUT THERE writing malicious code, for profit or for fun. If you are one of the unlucky ones who is affected first, before the security experts figure out how to "patch the hole ", tough luck. You could also be hit by a meteorite or win the lottery. Someone once told me that the only thing statistics were good for were "predictions ". "Guesstimates "

Thanks for sharing the links- it helps when you guys flag this stuff and then the telephone starts ringing. At least I have a few clues as to what I should be looking for, and where I can find out more information. Shoot, if it weren't for Charlesvar bringing that bad Norton update to my attention, I probably would have driven the truck (A big red Ford duallie) right over the kids' comp this week.

Incidentally, speaking of Norton, how many people had problems with that bad update and never noticed? Using Live Update, Symantec silently corrected their mistake. When you install Norton, you accept the EULA and give them complete control over your computer. There is no other program on my computer that has unrestricted net access or permission to make any changes but Symantec. They can change your computer, delete files, deny you online access, wipe out your hard drive and boss Windows etc... It's a matter of trust that they won't. But any competent Symantec programmer could bring down every Norton computer in the world simultaneously and, possibly, even protect us from MS, if MS were to be compromised, somehow. We employ Norton to be "the Police ", and there is no one to police them, except the economic incentive to earn customer loyalty and trust. That is why when Mr. Norton sold his business interest, "Norton" was so valuable- the name.

I have a strict security policy, and I do regular backups. I will give anyone a crash course in online security, if I can get them to listen. Beyond that, there is not much I can do to protect myself, or my clients from stuff like this. And, like dear Martin, I am probably a bigger danger to this machine than any code writer could be (can't quit that tweaking!) but who cares? When I break it, I fix it, and that's half the fun, anyway!

Johanna

 

Go ahead, I am listening.

 

http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=31695

http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=31535

 

El Camino, glad to...please see the attached. PM me your email for links that work- this offer open to anyone.

Johanna

 

Johanna this attachment can not open. Says file defective.