*Valid Virus Warning from Snopes*

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Just got this email this morning from a good friend of mine; it checks out.


THERE IS AN EMAIL WITH SUBJECT LINE OBAMA ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FLOATING AROUND WITH A TROJAN HORSE ATTACHMENT. DO NOT OPEN FOR ANY REASON!!!
DELETE IMMEDIATELY. THE TROJAN STEALS ALL PASSWORDS AND USER IDS!!!
SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.

More at the link:

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/obamaspeech.asp

[no limit]

1. If you're the type of person that opens attachments from people they dont know

then snopes.com won't save you; it's already too late for you ;).

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. !

:thumbsup:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Ha!

That's pretty cynical!

Aren't people educable?

;-)

[TahitiNut]

4. "people they don't know"??? Well, even from people you "know."`

It's like sex. When you have sex with anyone you're having sex with everyone THEY had sex with. "People you know" can have infected systems that spread virus-laden or worm-laden email to everyone in their address list. Computing without adequate safeguards is like "bareback" copulation.

[pnwmom]

6. You don't get it. This trojan will appear to be coming from people you DO know.

That is, it will appear to be coming from all the people whose information it has stolen.

You could open an email from your best friend containing this trojan, if your best friend opened one from her brother, etc.

[no limit]

18. You don't know that

We don't have the name of this virus, so you are making a huge assumption.

Although yes, it is possible for the virus to use the contact information of the infected computer (usually this is only possible with local email clients such as outlook) virus developers try not to do that any more because you can then identify where the virus is actually coming from. Usually they use email addresses from the infected user's address book or random generated emails and not the user's actual email address. In addition I just read the snopes page and this virus does not spread using attachments, you have to click the link and if you have adobe flash on your computer you then get infected.

Anway, excuse me for trying to inject a little humor in to this; I should have known better. This is DU after all where everyone knows everything :).

[varkam]

46. "This is DU after all where everyone knows everything"

:fistbump:

[Crabby Appleton]

40. This exploit isn't an attachment - it's a link to an apparent

news source that installs the flash9 trojan.

[no limit]

45. yeah, I saw that and posted about it later in this thread. Adobe is fucking up big time

Acrobat and flash have been an absolute disgrace when it comes to computer security.

[northernlights]

47. If you read the *entire* snopes warning...

the false news site does not itself install the trojan.

At the false news site, you *still* have to open a .exe file to install the trojan.

So it *still* comes down to opening an executable file, not something like a .pdf file...

but thanks for the heads up.

[no limit]

48. Only if you dont have flash 9. If you have flash 9 it installs by itself

[deaniac21]

5. There is no protection for the ID10T

[pnwmom]

7. You're fooling yourself if you think you're safe from this.

This trojan will appear to be coming from someone you know.

This was a good warning.

[Pierre.Suave]

9. I am safe

I use Macs...

[pnwmom]

14. So do I. But I'm glad I can warn my non-Mac relatives about this.

And sooner or later Mac users will be vulnerable, too.

[no limit]

19. You think just by virtue of being on a mac you are safe?

Man, will you be in for quite the suprise when someone finally decides to waste their time targeting 2% of the computer market (I just pulled that number out of my ass btw, I'm assuming its around 2% still). And since mac use the linux kernel I wouldn't be suprised if viruses targeting linux machines can affect macs.

[Pierre.Suave]

23. from this trojan

absolutely...

:eyes:

[druidity33]

28. actually

it's 7% now buddy!

:hi:

[iamthebandfanman]

15. i open NO attachments

from anybody.
whether i recognise the address or not.
there are many ways to show someone something without sending them a file.

[nini]

17. Thank You

the fact anyone would open ANYTHING in an attachment or click on a link in an email boggles my mind. Any legit email would instruct someone where to go to access the info being discussed giving the user the control over how to find it.

Add to this that the snopes article is from November '08 -- if anyone hasn't updated their virus libraries since before then deserves what they get for their stupidity.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. It was updated again, most recently January 5th. (nt)

[no limit]

21. Anti-virus programs won't save you

Anti virus programs are ineffective against 99% of viruses out there. The best they might be able to do for you is tell you that your computer is already infected (if you're lucky); after that you're on your own.

[nini]

31. not always - true

which is why people need to be suspicious of any attachment in an email.

I can't tell you how many machines I've cleaned up for people who don't update their libraries, run occaisional scans etc..

It's a battle but if you're lazy and stupid, you're a bigger target

[no limit]

32. It is extremely rare for me to find an anti-virus program that is effective

Only time I was able to clean off a virus, and I do this for a living, was certain variants of the antivirus 2008/2009 virus with malware bytes. And in many cases this virus installed it self on machines that had updated anti-virus software. Everything else I ran in to had to be cleaned off by hand. I find these anti-virus programs to be useless; running as a limited user account is your best protection.

[DainBramaged]

34. So you advocate people don't have any protection?

You statement is completely wrong, but I guess you iz da experts. :crazy:

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[no limit]

37. Just like you insulting my professional experiance is uncalled for

eye for an eye, right?

If the only method of protection you have at your job is anti-virus then you should be out of a job. Antivirus in the corporate world is used to identify the threat, not to prevent it or to remove it.

See, not very nice when people question your professional integrity without knowing anything about you, is it?

[DainBramaged]

42. Insult this moron

[no limit]

43. You're quite the adult aren't you

I'm sure they love that kind of attitude at your work.

[pnwmom]

25. ANY legit email avoids attachments?

That's news to me.

For example, my accountant sent me tax forms as an attachment. Lots of people use attachments in business.

[nini]

30. was it an executable?

or a pdf?

[pnwmom]

24. True, but some people do need to send files. n/t

[deaniac21]

22. I am a systems engineer....this is a joke....

In the biz when a user has a problem we sometimes say....that is an id-10-t error

[TheTimmer]

29. I'm partial to "EBKAC"

Error between keyboard and chair

As a crotchety, neckbearded, old geek (not me, I'm clean-shaven)once said, "What's scary is not how dumb the average user is, it's that half of them are dumber than that."

[MiniMe]

41. Looks like an IDtenT error to me

[pnwmom]

8. Thanks very much, CaliforniaPeggy. K & R. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. I appreciate your endorsement...

[Pierre.Suave]

10. Good looking out Peggy

this is important for people to know and understand.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. My dear jasonc...

Thanks, sweetie...

The cynicism was getting to me...

[Vinca]

13. I got another one this week, supposedly from the IRS,

that wants you to go to a site and give up your bank account number, etc., in order to receive your stimulus check. Verified as a hoax on the IRS site.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Thanks for posting this one too...

I don't think we can really have enough warnings about this sort of thing...

The cyber-world is a large and scary place.

[Soylent Brice]

26. K&R

thanks Peggy!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. My dear Soilent Brice!

Thank you...

[Soylent Brice]

38. ...

:blush:

:hi:

[juno jones]

33. Thanks! n/t

[Ikonoklast]

39. Will this affect my getting the $25 million from that Nigerian Prince in some way?

I certainly hope not, as I can really use the extra cash right now.

One has to be extra careful nowadays, with those viruses and all. I'll just re-send my checking account number again, just to make sure.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

44. LOL!

Oh, yes, absolutely!

Just to be sure!


:rofl: