Re: OT: Please check computers for viruses

Here's a news article I cut and pasted about the virus.  Note that it says
you had to have opened an attached file with a "pif" extension.  If you've
not opened any attachments with the extension "pif" then your computer
*should* be clean.




Net virus set for 9/11 blitz


By JONATHAN WEINBERG

THE computer virus wreaking havoc across the Internet is set to destroy
itself on September 10 ^× but not before spawning a DEADLIER new strain,
experts believe.

That could be timed to create meltdown on September 11, shaking the world
again on the anniversary of the terror blitz.

Yesterday, experts estimated that the Sobig.F email virus had caused
£30million damage to businesses and home computers since Monday ^× with
another wave of attacks due at around 7pm last night.

Billions of bogus messages are flooding through cyberspace, crashing email
systems and bringing down business networks across the world.

The Sobig virus ^× first identified in January ^× is now in its sixth strain.

Jack Clark, of virus-busting firm McAfee, said: ^ÓIt seems to be getting a
lot cleverer. Even if it ends on September 10, it won^Òt be the last we^Òve
heard of it.

^ÓA new version could rear its ugly head as early as the next day.

^ÓYou just can^Òt stop this sort of thing happening ^× even if everyone in the
world installs a fix.^Ô

The virus spreads when someone clicks open an attachment in an email headed
^ÓThank You^Ô, ^ÓRe: Details^Ô or ^ÓRe: App-roved^Ô. The attachments end with the
letters ^Ópif^Ô.

Once open, it searches the computer for other email addresses and bombards
them too.

Machines are left vulnerable to hackers who can access credit card numbers
and bank details.

Yesterday, an instruction was found hidden in the virus that experts
believed could make infected PCs bombard 20 specific world targets at 7pm.

That could seize up the Internet, making travel bookings and on-line sales
impossible.

The time trigger is set to be activated again at the same time tomorrow.

Carole Theriault, a consultant at Sophos Anti-Virus, said: ^ÓThe problem is
we don^Òt know what that programme is.

^ÓIt could be dangerous and delete files, or just be a stupid message.^Ô

Email traffic has soared 60 per cent in the past few days as Sobig spread to
148 countries. One in 17 messages contains the virus.








- Coyote, the Desert Dog





>From: frenzy@??????.org
>Reply-To: Discussion list for the Spelljammer campaign setting
><SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com>
>To: SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com
>Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] OT: Please check computers for viruses
>Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 11:29:00 -0700
>
>This virus will also check your stored web documents, so if someone have
>looked at any online pages with your email address in it, they can get it
>that way also.
>
>..or we can just all use pine to check our email!
>
>Randy
>
>http://www.frenzy.org
>"Sed Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?" -Juvenal
>
>This communication (including any attachments) is intended for the use of
>the intended
>recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged
>or legally
>protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is
>strictly
>prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please
>immediately notify
>the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original
>communication.
>Thank you for your cooperation.
>
>
>
>
>
>On Sat, 23 Aug 2003, Night_Druid wrote:
>
>Hey guys,
>
>     Not pointing fingers at anyone, but I think someone I know (no idea
>who) has the sobig virus.  I've checked my machine, and I don't have it,
>but I've recieved about a dozen delivery failure emails in the last 12
>hours.  I've read up on the sobig virus, and one of it's properties is that
>it will spoof the "FROM" field of an email with emails from your address
>book.  More details about this nasty little virus can be found at:
>
>http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_SOBIG.F
>
>includes instructions on how to detect it, and how to remove it.  I also
>recommend everyone set up firewalls on their PCs as well; the newest
>generation of viruses attack a computer directly, through vulnerable ports,
>which is a major shift from trying to hide viruses inside email attachments
>and infected programs.
>
>This has been a test of the Emergancy Gnomish Warning System.  We now
>return you back to your regularly scheduled programming :D
>
>Adam
>
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