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Please will all JustChat users take especial care when opening attachments to incoming e-mails. Below is warning about a newly released virus that I have just received from Message Labs.
Be aware that you should NEVER open an attachment to an e-mail unless either you are expecting it from the sender, or you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that is is virus free.
@Message Labs wrote:
New Sober Virus That Spoofs FBI and CIA – over 2.7 million copies intercepted in 24 hours.
November 22, 2005 – New York 17:00 GMT/ 12:00 ET –
MessageLabs, the leading provider of managed email security services to businesses worldwide, has intercepted over 2.7-million copies of a new Sober virus, many of which are being spoofed to appear as though they are sent from the FBI or the CIA. The first copy was stopped at 19:00 GMT on 21st November.
The size of the attack indicates that this is a major offensive, certainly one of the largest in the last few months.
These emails suggest to recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the FBI or CIA and that they have accessed illegal Web sites.
The email directs users to open the ZIP attachment containing the executable, which once opened delivers the Sober virus payload.
It then spreads by searching the infected computer for other email addresses to send copies of itself to, but ignoring any domains for certain security organizations, including MessageLabs.
The virus will send emails in German for domains ending .DE or .AT and a few others, with the remainder being sent in English.
It seems that despite warnings, many recipients are still opening the emails allowing the virus to spread still further.
Email characteristics:
From: EITHER mail@ fbi.gov, OR post@ fib.gov, OR admin@ fbi.gov
Dear Sir/Madam,
We have logged your IP-address on more than 30 illegal Websites.
Important:
Please answer our questions!
The list of questions are attached.
Yours faithfully,
Steven Allison
++++ Central Intelligence Agency -CIA-
++++ Office of Public Affairs
++++ Washington, D.C. 20505++++ phone: (703) 482-0623
++++ 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., US Eastern timeAttachment:
EITHER…. ‘question_list.zip’ OR…… ‘list.zip’
Size: 54.2 KB (55,536 bytes )
All JustChat users are strongly reccomended to download an update to their anti virus software ASAP !!!
*grabs his tin hat and curls up under PB’s couch* 8)
I jump dump everything from any1 I dont know into the Trash Can. Better to b safe than sorry.
@Lambrini Girl wrote:
I have no idea if this thread should be taken seriously or not …. but ……… Something I have been wondering about for a while, and this seems as good an opportunity as any to put my mind at rest :lol:
Assuming I receive an e-mail containing a virus, does previewing it (I use Incredimail) has the same effect as me opening it? :?
Lamby I had incredimail and I got rid of it fast!! It messed up my system and gave me heaps of spyware/malware. I wouldn,t use it again.
@Lambrini Girl wrote:
I have no idea if this thread should be taken seriously or not……..”
(Please take it VERY seriously indeed)
”…. but ……… Something I have been wondering about for a while, and this seems as good an opportunity as any to put my mind at rest :lol:
Assuming I receive an e-mail containing a virus, does previewing it (I use Incredimail) has the same effect as me opening it? :?
Lambers – this is a bit difficult to answer simply.
There ARE some ‘files’ that are able to ‘open’ when you preview e-mails. (Using the preview pane in MS Outlook for example can under certain circumstances do this). However, generally (but not always) previewing an e-mail will not open an attachment that contains a virus.
The most common route to infection is to click on an attachment to an e-mail and thereby ‘open’ it. This allows the little virus program to run and do its thing to your computer.
The writers of these virusus are usually extremely clever people, and disguise their nasty little viruses in a whole variety of different ways. Basically they all have one purpose in mind and that is to somehow get you to double click the attachment and open it – so allowing their virus programme to instal and run on your computer.
Most (but not all) viruses are received as attachments to e-mails from people that you may know already.
For example, if a friend of yours (who had your e-mail address saved in their ‘contacts’ folder) opened an attachment containing a virus, and got infected as a result, one of the things it may do is to send itself to ALL their contacts – including you – but without your friend either knowing about it or being able to stop it.
All you would see is an e-mail from somebody that you knew with an attachment. Naturally you open it and WHOOSH, you are infected in turn.
Most times (but again not always) the giveaway is the title or content of the e-mail or maybe the name of the attachment – but you cannot always rely on this.
The absolutely best way to keep your computer virus free is to instal a REPUTABLE make of anti virus software and above all KEEP IT REGULARLY UPDATED.
Remember that new ‘strains’ of virus are being released onto the internet almost daily so you must keep your anti virus definitions updated regularly to counter this. Minimum is weekly and personally I always recommend downloading updates at least twice a week.
@Lambrini Girl wrote:
Thank you for the very clear response PB.
Let this be a lesson to you too …. Do not post under the heading “Please take this very seriously indeed” unless you are very serious indeed …. Remember the little boy who cried “wolf”! :lol: :wink:
I am not quite sure what you mean by your reply. I posted this thread in a way that was clearly serious with a clearly serious title.
My response “Please take this very seriously indeed” was a reply to your comment “I have no idea if this thread should be taken seriously or not……..” and was intended to indicate that I was being totally straight on this occasion with the clear intent of providing helpful information to all of our users.
For the avoidance of any residual doubt – I am being absolutely serious on this subject.
No problem Lambers.
I just hope that Norton – Symantec / McAfee etc have hundreds of JustChat users dialling in to ‘Live Update’ to get the latest set of anti virus definitions downloaded and installed ASAP.
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