Re: american idol cat fight topless = VIRUS
Rick Merrill
Laurens Holst
Er, the SCR file *is* a virus. You are already infected. Please run
antivirus software if you can't discern malicious files from safe ones.
~Grauw
--
Ushiko-san! Kimi wa doushite, Ushiko-san!!
Rick Merrill
> Rick Merrill wrote:
>
>> THE SCR file attempts to connect
>> to chit.badpenguin.net
>> to put a virus on your computer. - RM
>
>
> Er, the SCR file *is* a virus. You are already infected. Please run
> antivirus software if you can't discern malicious files from safe ones.
>
>
> ~Grauw
>
Can you identify which one? Norton did not flag the .SCR file. - RM
JohnN
>Ushiko-san! Kimi wa doushite, Ushiko-san!!
That;s what I always say . . .
Laurens Holst
No. But .SCR files are *always* virii, just like .PIF files, .COM, .LNK,
.VBS, etc. No-one meaning any good sends those files, really. .EXE's can
be given the benefit of the doubt when they come from someone you know,
but still be *very* wary and suspicous about it. ZIP files containing
.EXE's: same story, also be very wary. I have received several virii
like that (or perhaps it was just one and the same). Generally just
don't execute anything executable you get by email, and *especially* not
from usenet.
Anyways, it's weird Norton didn't detect anything bad about it. Are you
sure its virus definitions are up to date? Or it could be a new type of
virus which Norton has not yet listed.
Be aware that even using an Antivirus doesn't make you 100% safe.
Because what if I decided to make a virus, which is new to Norton so it
won't detect it, and I spread it by making a mass mailing to the Usenet
(say, with the topic "american idol cat fight topless"). In that case,
it will take a few hours or so for Norton to get updated, and perhaps a
day before their update finally arrives on your computer. Plenty of time
to get infected.
Rick Merrill
> No. But .SCR files are *always* virii,
Surely you mean to qualify that with "posted" .SCR files? Windows
comes with plenty of valid .SCR files.
> just like .PIF files, .COM, .LNK,
> .VBS, etc. No-one meaning any good sends those files, really. .EXE's can
> be given the benefit of the doubt when they come from someone you know,
> but still be *very* wary and suspicous about it. ZIP files containing
> .EXE's: same story, also be very wary. I have received several virii
> like that (or perhaps it was just one and the same). Generally just
> don't execute anything executable you get by email, and *especially* not
> from usenet.
>
> Anyways, it's weird Norton didn't detect anything bad about it. Are you
> sure its virus definitions are up to date? Or it could be a new type of
> virus which Norton has not yet listed.
I have seen viruses that were not detected until the NEXT update!-)
Happily, I waited for the update (next day) to rescan same.
I have also seen an SCR type file that Norton did not ALARM until
the "screen saver" had downloaded the actual malware. This time I
was not interested in going the next step, just in raising the alarm.
> Be aware that even using an Antivirus doesn't make you 100% safe.
> Because what if I decided to make a virus, which is new to Norton so it
> won't detect it, and I spread it by making a mass mailing to the Usenet
> (say, with the topic "american idol cat fight topless").
I'm hoping you won't DO that!-) - RM