(OLD) WORM/VIRUS ALERT

W32/Sircam.worm-mm October 2001
FIX: http://www.datafellows.com/v-descs/sircam.shtml
                                                                OR: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sircam.worm@mm.html

We (a user) may have sent you this worm in an attached letter (orthodontictraining.doc, Imperium.doc.pif,bushy4,gregmp,bushletterman,001214)
You should read that description link and download that cleaning file at the top and run it instantly if you've opened any recent attached file from surfbest.net. If infected (you must have opened attachment), you probably have sent that thing to every person in your address books in Outlook- so forward this letter to your list. It doesn't store sent letters so can't tell where it went.                    So sorry, MS

VIRUS/WORM alert: We were attacked by the W32/Sircam.worm-mm Oct 17, which I got from an Iraqui dentist in England (innocently I think). Had an application letter for job that I thought she wanted me to edit, so I did it and only realized problem when I got couple dozen returned mails. It is a fiendishly clever thing that infects a dozen places and things on computer (recycle bin, system files, register). Got it on Juno- infected Outlook Express- when I went into Hotmail account fm Outlook, worm filched its address book (only up on server), picked likely files from MY word files (likes people's names and often uses double suffixes -.doc.pif, .com, .bat) and started banged out e-mails w infected attachments to God knows how many people on surfbest- the third e-mail system. Don't open anything Oct 16-22 from surfbest.net, which isn't normally used (+ now incapacitated). To get 151 K exe patch to fix this beast go to
http://www.datafellows.com/v-descs/sircam.shtml
. In fact download it and put it on C drive so you have it. Crummy Norton '98 antivirus didn't find it, although I update virus's every week, so just put in Norton Anti-Virus 2001. Download free fp-311a (or latest) single floppy zip antivirus program file from datafellows (downloads/free)- it is best cleaner and runs in DOS so is immune to most Windows viruses. This is 2nd biggest threat worm/virus, is activated to send out infected junk letters every time you execute any program, and was supposedly programed to fill hard drive with junk on Oct 16- though they say that doesn't happen.

Typical message is

["Hi! How are you?
I sent this file in order to have your advice OR
I hope you can help me with this file that I send.

See you later. Thanks."]

If you think this is bad, the devastating Nimda worm (already up to E version), which popped up 1 week after 911, can infect your computer from just viewing a web page or recieving an e-mail- one doesn't have to open anything! I heartily recommend getting the 2002 anti-virus programs from Norton or McAfee and always running autoprotect- some of these worms and viruses (Magistr) will erase your hard drive and even CMOS settings so your computer won't turn on and you need new motherboard. You might also upgrade to Explorer/Outlook Express 6, which cures many of these security holes in Visual Basic Script + Outlook.