Computer & ISP Problems

[nChrist]

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

Well, I thought my old computer completely died, but it survived. My ISP got hit with something that shut down their mail servers for the first time in years. I got the mass mailing worm going around and just got my computer working again. The message is actually sent in binary and and displays as code of some sort. I'm trying to get a little bit of education on this now, and I'll try to share.

Needless to say, be careful with your mail. DO NOT open attachments unless you are sure you trust and recognize the sender. If your mail program gives you a weird error message involving 7 bit ASCII or binary in a message, DON'T open the message at all, JUST DELETE IT. Keep your virus definitions up to date and BE CAREFUL. It is a particularly nasty worm and steels part of your address list to replicate itself and send to your friends and family on your personal mail address book.

I'll let you know when I find out more. For the time being, I think my old computer held together in bailing wire survived.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[JudgeNot]

About the worm:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=36800

[nChrist]

About the worm:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=36800

Oklahoma Howdy to JudgeNot,

Thanks very much for the information. This is exactly what got my ISP and myself. Every time I think that I've got some pretty good security, someone writes something new. Wouldn't it be nice to catch some of those guys writing the virus, worm, and Trojan programs. UM??, I wonder what a suitable punishment would be.    Maybe they could be put in a pillory in front of City Hall, an add placed in the newspaper for all who have been hit with their programs to bring rotten tomatoes and fire away.  

In Christ,
Tom

[2nd Timothy]

I thought you seemed strangly absent Tom.  Glad to hear your PC is working again.  Good advice on the attachments.  I usually wont open anything ending in .exe, .bat, .com, even if I know the person.  Never know when one of your friends or family's pc's are acting on their own.

Grace and Peace!

[JudgeNot]

Mr. BEP, sir;
If we were Muslim we could serve up the punishment of removing the fingers so he (or she?) could never use a keyboard again.
However, as Christians we must serve up a severe brow-beating followed by 30-years of community service - at the public stock-yard - shovelling you-know-what - with a tablespoon - barefoot.
 

[nChrist]

Mr. BEP, sir;
If we were Muslim we could serve up the punishment of removing the fingers so he (or she?) could never use a keyboard again.
However, as Christians we must serve up a severe brow-beating followed by 30-years of community service - at the public stock-yard - shovelling you-know-what - with a tablespoon - barefoot.
 

Oklahoma Howdy to JudgeNot,

   LOL - I loved it and needed that laugh. I spent almost 2 days straightening out the mess. That's a very original punishment, one that sounds very reasonable.  

Love In Christ,
Tom

[nChrist]

I thought you seemed strangly absent Tom.  Glad to hear your PC is working again.  Good advice on the attachments.  I usually wont open anything ending in .exe, .bat, .com, even if I know the person.  Never know when one of your friends or family's pc's are acting on their own.

Grace and Peace!

Oklahoma Howdy to 2nd Timothy,

Thanks Brother. My old computer is worn out, slow, and obsolete, but I guess it has one or two lives left.

You mentioned folks who don't know their computer has been turned into a slave to spread this stuff. That would really upset me if anyone ever did that to me. I can stand cleaning up a mess on my computer, but I would feel horrible if my computer infected the computers of my friends and family.

Reference the files extensions you mentioned, you really don't want to open those at all unless the person sending the mail to you has told you exactly what it is. Here's a better list of things not to open at all:

ADA
ADP
ASX
BAS
BAT
CHM
CMD
COM
CPL
CRT
DBX
EXE
HLP
HTA
INF
INS
JSP
JS
JSE
LNK
MDA
MDB
MDE
MDZ
MHT
MSC
MSI
MSP
MST
NCH
PCD
PIF
PRF
REG
SCF
SCR
SCT
SHB
SHS
URL
VB
VBE
VBS
WMS
WSC
WSF
WSH


Many Email programs, virus protection programs, and fire-wall programs can automatically block or quarantine the above extensions. I did all that with ZoneAlarm Pro Fire-Wall, the latest and best Norton Anti-Virus, and all of the security settings enabled on my Email program. They still got me, I just don't know how yet. I plan to find out.

The virus, worm, and trojan writers can use any or all of these with drastic results. Even if you take all precautions, they still figure out ways to get to you.

I like JudgeNot's idea of 30 years of community service, exactly as he described for those who are caught.  

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Reba]

I just bought a simple little dell and was going ask ya if i should buy the macafee  protection stuff they keep  hounding me with?  Any clue Peas? any one?  What does a  worm do besides fish?  IF ya choose to answe make it an answer for a grandma computer dummy please

[JudgeNot]

McAfee is the best (better than Norton).  You shouldn't have an unprotected PC.  My advice: get it.  (It will give you a firewall option also - you should have that, too.)

McAfee is also very easy - you don't need to be super-duper-computer literate to install and use it.  It will update automatically - all that good stuff.

[nChrist]

I just bought a simple little dell and was going ask ya if i should buy the macafee  protection stuff they keep  hounding me with?  Any clue Peas? any one?  What does a  worm do besides fish?  IF ya choose to answe make it an answer for a grandma computer dummy please

Oklahoma Howdy to Sister Reba,

You can't go wrong with McAfee products. McAfee and Norton usually run neck and neck for the absolute best every year. You get automatic updates of virus definitions with both of them. They are both excellent in keeping up with the virus, worm, and trojan writers. In fact, they try to stay one step ahead of them.

A virus is designed to simply tear up and destroy the file structure on your computer. A worm or trojan can both do the same thing, but some of them can actually make your computer copy and distribute the havoc to other folks, usually the ones on your personal Email address book.

In short, I highly recommend McAfee or Norton, either one. I do have a page on my web site about computer security. However, you might not want to read it now that you know my system was hit and taken down.  

http://www.sirinet.net/~blkidps/comptips.html

I think there's still some good stuff on the page, it just wasn't enough.  

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Reba]

A virus is designed to simply tear up and destroy the file structure on your computer. A worm or trojan can both do the same thing, but some of them can actually make your computer copy and distribute the havoc to other folks, usually the ones on your personal Email address book

So make a new file says the dumb blond... Guess i sould just shutup and learn to spell

[nChrist]

A virus is designed to simply tear up and destroy the file structure on your computer. A worm or trojan can both do the same thing, but some of them can actually make your computer copy and distribute the havoc to other folks, usually the ones on your personal Email address book

So make a new file says the dumb blond... Guess i sould just shutup and learn to spell

Oklahoma Howdy to Sister Reba,

   I bet that McAfee has been automatically taking care of your computer since you got it, probably with little or no problems for you. If so, get it. If you have a credit card, McAfee is completely trustworthy. They will give you a registration code with detailed instructions of how and where to type in the registration. If you use a credit card, you usually get the registration by Email in just a matter of minutes. I bought an Email program from them several months ago, and the credit card transaction was complete with me getting the registration in less than 3 minutes. Their support and customer service is also excellent, usually ranking number 1 or 2 in the entire industry every year.

You've already got McAfee installed on your machine. If it hasn't caused you any headaches, registering it will be the quickest and easiest way to know you have top-notch virus protection. All of their products are always either at the top or close to the top every year. I would also say they are on the cutting edge of technology for making it easy for customers to install and maintain their state-of-the-art products. Their prices are very reasonable, especially when you consider that you are getting the best.

I agree with JudgeNot that you should also get a fire-wall. My personal preference is ZoneAlarm Pro, but they got me. McAffee also makes an outstanding firewall. If I have any more problems, I may get their firewall. You really can't go wrong with one-stop shopping with all of McAffee's products. They are an old and very respected company.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[Reba]

Thanks warden

[nChrist]

Thanks warden

   You are quite welcome Governor.

[Whitehorse]

Wow-Bep. I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I hate it, too.

I agree-Judge Not has the right idea. Hear, hear! I say we appoint him assistant to the resident cyclops.