One of our members received an e-mail, supposed to be from SAPP-L, Re: Neil Sapp, and it had an attachment. If you anyone else received that posting, and still have it, please forward it to abuse@rootsweb.com. If it has an attachment, it DID NOT come from Rootsweb. I am sending this announcement to the list, this is the first occurance of the incident I have heard of, but it is happening on other lists. I don't usually post these to the list, but one of our members was affected.-Bill > At 05:44 PM 12/16/1999 -0600, you wrote: > >John, I'm forwarding this to you, I got it yesterday. Maybe it will explain > >what the item you received was. I haven't seen the message you cite, what > >was the date and time, maybe I can find something.-Bill > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Tim Pierce <twp@rootsweb.com> > >To: <listowners-announce@rootsweb.com> > >Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 11:41 PM > >Subject: Recent Virus Reports > > > > > >> Hi, folks - > >> > >> We've had a lot of reports tonight about a virus being passed > >> around on RootsWeb lists. I have looked into these reports > >> and it does NOT appear that the viruses have actually been > >> sent through our lists. > >> > >> I've included a semi-technical explanation of what I have been > >> able to find out, for those of you who are curious. The only > >> important message here is that RootsWeb's lists are NOT the > >> source of recent virus reports. > >> > >> What seems to be happening is that the current flock of viruses > >> do the following things when they infect a new computer: > >> > >> * The virus sends a copy of itself to everyone in the > >> computer's address book; > >> > >> * It forges its own return address to look like it was sent by > >> someone *else* in the address book; > >> > >> * and it uses the Subject line from a message that was recently > >> sent from that machine. > >> > >> So if an infected person sent mail to BUMBLEROTTER-L@rootsweb.com, > >> the virus might send out mail like this to someone else in the > >> victim's address book: > >> > >> From: BUMBLEROTTER-L@rootsweb.com > >> To: joe@example.com > >> Subject: [BUMBLEROTTER] looking for Fred and Wilma Bumblerotter > >> > >> > ><http://stuart.messagemates.com/index.html>http://stuart.messagemates.com/i n > >dex.html > >> > >> Hypercool Happy New Year 2000 funny programs and animations... > >> We attached our recent animation from this site in our mail ! Check it > >out ! > >> > >> Even though the mail never was sent to RootsWeb, the return address > >> is forged to make it appear as if it came from us. > >> > >> I will continue to work on figuring out if there is anything that > >> we can do about this; in the meantime, please assure any concerned > >> subscribers that subscribing to a RootsWeb list is not dangerous. :-) > >> > >> -- > >> Regards, > >> Tim Pierce > >> RootsWeb.com lead system admonsterator > >> and Chief Hacking Officer > >> > >> > > > > > > > Looking for Odds and Ends "Odd Balls and Dead Ends" > John E. Mellick Merritt Island, FL mellick@spacey.net >