Re: virus scare

Please relax everybody. While the threat of a virus is real, chances are
it won't infect you. According to our Systems Administrator a virus such
as the one described is dependant on the operating system, the mail
program and the hardware you are using. In other words, the virus must
be targeted for your particular combination of hardware and mailer. If
you telnet to your e-mail account, you are most safe. If you have a PC or
Mac connected by modem, you are more at risk. But in both cases your
network provider more than likely has virus protection.

Viruses are most often spread by downloading programs from other computers,
so beware exchanging floppy disks and running ftp with systems unless you
know they check their software before they allow anyone to copy it.

It appears the persons most at risk are those members of America On-line
(probably PC's, but that's not clear from the warning).

If anyone actually knows *first-hand* about an attack of this virus, let
me know, as my SysAdmin would be interested.


-greg-

gregg at tdd.hbo.nec.com

>
> Please, someone with computer expertise: how can just reading an e-mail
> message expose my hard drive? I'm on the University of Washington system
> and the message automatically appears when I hit the next message
> button. It never gets near my hard drive? Do home computers with modems
> work differently?
>
> Gene Hunn.
>
> On Mon, 5 Dec 1994 dGleason at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU wrote:
>
> > I thought that I should pass along these warnings I received today. It
> > seems that a nasty virus is being sent out via e-mail.
> >
> > ***********************
> > There is a virus on America Online being sent by E-Mail. If you get
> > anything called "Good Times", DON'T read it or download it. It is a virus
> > that will erase your hard drive. Forward this to all your friends. It may
> > help them a lot.
> >
> > ***********************
> > A virus is circulating on the Internet. If you receive a message with the
> > header "xxx-1" DO NOT READ IT. Delete immediately or your disk will
> > require treatment by a virus-scanner.
> >
> > ********************
> > Dan Gleason
> > Dept. of Biology
> > University of Oregon
> > Eugene, OR 97403
> > dGleason at oregon.uoregon.edu
> > (503) 346-4535
> > *******************
> >
> >
> >
>