Pat, This could be a new form of 'terrorist attack'. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Connors" <nymets11@pacbell.net> To: <FLYNN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 11:37 AM Subject: [FLYNN] ADMIN MSG - another virus/worm warning- Sasser > This new one is not spread from emails but though the internet. It > started in Europe and is spreading at a rapid rate across the world as > we all wake up and turn on our computers. Here is a blurb from the > Rueters news service. > > > "If you take a normal Windows PC and connect to the Internet, you will > > be infected in 10 minutes (without protection)," Mikko Hypponen, > > Anti-Virus research director at Finnish data security firm F-Secure > > <FSC1V.HE>, told Reuters. > > > > "It seems to be gradually getting worse, but it could jump as the U.S. > > wakes up," he said. > > > > F-Secure says the worm, which surfaced over the weekend, automatically > > spreads via the Internet to computers using the Microsoft <MSFT.O> > > Windows operating system, especially Windows 2000 and XP. > > > > The spread of the virus has been muted so far, Hypponen said, as it > > emerged on a weekend, and with holidays closing offices in places like > > the United Kingdom and Japan on Monday. > > > > But the spread was expected to worsen as the work week hits its > > stride, Hypponen said, adding he believes the worm originated in Russia. > > > Here is info about it from Norton's Symantic Security: > http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sasser.b.worm.html > > There are two precautions you need to take to protect yourself from > these types of attacks which seem to becoming prevalent. > 1. Get regular updated patches from Microsoft at: > http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com > 2. Get a firewall program. > > Saturday night, I was warned by my ISP (SBC) of this coming threat. > Yesterday, I was in San Francisco all day and when I got home late last > night. I took care of my email and forgot about it. This morning I had > another email from my ISP and at the time I was reading it, on the > radio, they were reporting about the Sasser. So I stopped reading my > mail and updated my Windows patches and finally bought a Norton Firewall > ($50) and four hours later have all installed. One of the Window > patches I downloaded was a program to alert me when a new security patch > was available. That way I can't forget to do regular checks. > > I know virus/worm protection is not genealogy related but since we are > all doing genealogy on the computer it is important to be aware of the > newest ways to protect ourselves. As the list administrator I believe > it is my duty to bring these warnings to you attention. > > Now, I need some help since I am ignorant on how this firewall is > working and getting all these strange messages about files trying to > invade my computer when surfing from website to website. The dialog > boxes asks me if I want to block the file, and I don't know what I am > actually blocking. Does anyone know where I can go on the net to find > out more? Thanks. > > -- > Pat Connors, Sacramento CA, list admin > http://www.connorsgenealogy.com > All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton > > > > > > > ==== FLYNN Mailing List ==== > Do you have Irish ancestors who landed, lived or passed through the United States? Join a new list related to the history, culture and geneology of the Irish Americans mailto:Irish-American-L-request@Rootsweb.com?body=subscribe > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >

> > >This could be a new form of 'terrorist attack'. > I agree, John. Between the worms and/or viruses plus all the email spam, I do feel my computer gets attacked everyday! Either that, or Norton and McAfee are devising them to keep us buying their products :-) -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton