Virus protection... - What do you use?

[Sluggo]

I opened my e-mail this afternoon to see this lovely message...

Quick Heal X-Gen Version : 6.05
Virus database : 25/2/2002


From: Mirador Farm <[email protected]>
To: mightyzeb hotmail.com, shadynorm aol.com, sluggo optonli...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------
Attachment Virus Name Action
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------
DISTRIBU.PIF W32.Magistr.b could not be removed

Now, thanks to this little program, I promptly deleted said e-mail and, emptied my deleted items folder...
I'm not one to open attachments from people I don't know, so, chances are I would've deleted this anyway...
What Virus protection do you "Geeks" use, and has it saved your ass?



Edited By Sluggo on May 02 2002 at 4:57

[Galt]

Like you did, I use logic and common sense. It's free, and it's been 100% effective in that I've never gotten a virus in my life.

[Sluggo]

This is the first time I have ever recieved one...
(that I know of)
And I'm curious as to whether it has any connection to setting up ICQ...

HMMMmmmmmmmm...::Rubs chin in thought::

[Ahlexus]

Sluggo, I've noticed an increase in viruses also. In all cases Norton caught them.. but what was strange is.. they weren't coming thru as attachements. They were coming thru as part of either a bat file or temp file.

Commone sense is your best defense.

[AdolescentMasturbator]

Bat and temp files are executable. Anything that is executable can be a virus. Only things that don't have viruses are things like .jpg, .avi. .mpg, etc. Also .doc can be a virus so don't think they are safe. There are over 50 file extensions that can be used for viruses.

[Ahlexus]

AM, I agree. It's just that I was used to them coming thru as exe files.


Melissa Virus Writer Sentenced to Prison
Thu May 2, 1:15 PM ET
Jay Lyman, <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.NewsFactor.com">http://www.NewsFactor.com</a><!-- w -->

David L. Smith, 34, of New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to creating and unleashing the Melissa computer virus -- the first major virus spread by e-mail -- more than two years ago.

Smith, who acknowledged that the worm caused more than US$80 million in damage, was sentenced Wednesday to 20 months in federal prison.

U.S. authorities said the punishment -- which includes a $5,000 fine, supervised release, community service and a ban on computer and Internet activity -- serves as a warning to would-be virus writers who think they can launch worms on the Internet without paying a price.

While some security experts agreed that Smith's sentencing -- the first punishment for a major virus writer in the United States -- will discourage other virus writers, they questioned the delayed ruling. Antivirus experts expressed dismay at the sentence, which one McAfee official described to NewsFactor as "disgraceful."

[AdolescentMasturbator]

The problem with viruses is that the people making them now are amateurs. The real professionals have no reason since they probably have a great job somewhere. But wait sooner or later virii will become very sophisticated.

[Ahlexus]

I totally agree with you AM. Remember Mitnick?

[AdolescentMasturbator]

Yes free Kevin :blow:

[Ahlexus]

Poor Kev... loved him on Tech TV

[Kid Afrika]

Bat and temp files are executable. Anything that is executable can be a virus. Only things that don't have viruses are things like .jpg, .avi. .mpg, etc. Also .doc can be a virus so don't think they are safe. There are over 50 file extensions that can be used for viruses.

Any respect I had for your computer knowledge just went out the window. Viruses need not be attachments to e-mails. Nor are they restricted to certain file extensions. A .doc file need not be a virus to contain a malicious macro. I would hazard a guess that any file extension could potentially contain a virus. The bottom line is to be careful about where you get your files, and even then runninng an updated version of virus software is a good idea. If you had asked me a year ago, I would've said it's not necessary to run virus software if you are careful. But, these days, you can get trojans and viruses from just about anywhere, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

Best bet, back up your important files on CD or ZIP-disk, frequently. That and stay away from cheesy porn sites and warez sites.

Oh yeah, I use Norton (System Works).



Edited By Kid Afrika on May 02 2002 at 7:38

[fbd]

i rarely, if ever, open e-mails from strange adresses, but most of the time i get virii from just plain bad files or corrupted cookies and shit, so i update my virus paterns every thirsday and scan with norton's every friday

[AdolescentMasturbator]

Any respect I had for your computer knowledge just went out the window. Viruses need not be attachments to e-mails. Nor are they restricted to certain file extensions.

Did I even say that they needed to be attachments? And you are wrong, they are restricted to certain file extensions. It's because certain file extensions are unable to execute themselves. Wonder why virii often come as .jpg.vbs. Because they want to fool you into being a .jpg file because real .jpg files cannot harm you. However certain virii have used filenames ending with .jpg.exe and ms in their infinite wisdom decide to block out the .exe part so it looks like a regular .jpg to you. But this is MS we are talking about where 90% of the virii wouldn't be there if it weren't for their shitty ass security.

A .doc file need not be a virus to contain a malicious macro.

I meant to say macro rather than virus. I was talking about malicious files from virii, to worms, to trojans, etc.

[Kid Afrika]

Respect restored. You are right. :-o

[onehung]

I use nortons. Last year I ended up getting some backdoor bullshit virus from drivers .com when I tried to update my video drivers. Nortons didn't pick up shit. I just noticed something wasn't right and scanned my puter through Housecall.com and they picked it up.. Nothing I tried fixxed it either, so I ended up reformatting etc etc.

Lately nortons auto protect feature has been kicking in from me trying to get games from (go figure) Warez sites.

Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
1N7\startnow[1].js
is infected with the JS.Exception.Exploit virus.w

So its hit or miss with me and Nortons.