Another virus!

Artemis · Feb 1, 2006

A new virus is out...heres the email from zone alarm

" ZoneAlarm® Antivirus will protect you against the BlackWorm (MyWife.d) scheduled to attack on Feb. 3, 2006

Severity: High Risk

BlackWorm is a new and potentially destructive Internet worm currently making its way around the globe. It is infecting users via e-mail and is scheduled to destroy all Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, PSD and ZIP files on Feb. 3.

If you upgrade to ZoneAlarm Antivirus before Feb. 3, it will detect and remove existing BlackWorm infections and prevent future infections."

They say they can fix it...but I think AVG free can cure it too...lets hope eh?

Corry · Feb 1, 2006

Ha! Sounds to me more like Zonealarm is trying to sell software. A SCHEDULED virus???? I'll stick with my free software, thank you.

Harpua · Feb 1, 2006

AVG has yet to let me down. No thanks Zone Alarm, I won't be paying you any money.

PlasticSpanner · Feb 1, 2006

Looking at the "Fear/Panic" aspect I'd say it's a sales pitch too!

Nearly everybody has Office documents of some kind they would need tp protect and the "deadline" of 3rd Feb is deliberately short to limit your time investigating the claim and to look for alternatives other than Zone Alarm!

Having said that there are "scheduled" viruses out there that will activate on set dates but following normal and good security practices like avoiding opening unsolicited e-mails and refusing attatchments unless pre-arranged, there shouldn't be much to worry about!

Artemis · Feb 1, 2006

Thats fair play, but I think my bro actually got the virus, and a laptop ive been given to whipe I think has it...dunno though..

however AVG free fixed both, so I think youll be safe with avg free

jwkwd · Feb 1, 2006

Gee, maybe I can get even more windows updates. Hello Mac, here I come.

captblue1 · Feb 1, 2006

jwkwd said:
Gee, maybe I can get even more windows updates. Hello Mac, here I come.

the update wouldn't come by windows update. you need to make sure your antivirus software is up to date. the virus is real. i believe all antivirus software will have an update for it by the 3rd. Most that i know of already have it out. here is some info on the virus

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/nyxem_e.shtml

mygrain · Feb 1, 2006

captblue1 said:
the update wouldn't come by windows update. you need to make sure your antivirus software is up to date. the virus is real. i believe all antivirus software will have an update for it by the 3rd. Most that i know of already have it out. here is some info on the virus

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/nyxem_e.shtml

Indeed... the IT guys on campus have been freaking over it for a few days.

GerryDavid · Feb 1, 2006

Harpua said:
AVG has yet to let me down. No thanks Zone Alarm, I won't be paying you any money.

Ive actually made money with my McAfee anti virus, hehe. You pretty much only buy it once, then every 13 months or so they have rebates so you can get the software free. You just have to put up with a month of it complaining that its out of date and have to pay to get the updates again.

Hehe, just updated my avg and running a scan. The McAfee is on the other pc, the one that wont boot.

Soul Rebel · Feb 2, 2006

I havent run an AV program since I got my laptop. My opinion is that if you are careful what sites you go, programs you download, and dont open any email that looks questionable then you should be fine. The problem with email arises with programs that automatically open the email and give you a preview. Since I moved to webmail I feel pretty confident.

I also have little memory on my laptop so that plays a small part in it. If I had an AV running though I would likely go with ClamWin again. Takes up very few resources, its free, and it does just as good of a job as any of the other AV's.

captblue1 · Feb 2, 2006

Soul Rebel said:
I havent run an AV program since I got my laptop. My opinion is that if you are careful what sites you go, programs you download, and dont open any email that looks questionable then you should be fine. The problem with email arises with programs that automatically open the email and give you a preview. Since I moved to webmail I feel pretty confident.

I also have little memory on my laptop so that plays a small part in it. If I had an AV running though I would likely go with ClamWin again. Takes up very few resources, its free, and it does just as good of a job as any of the other AV's.

what about webcrawlers that just go looking for computers to comprimise. not running AV is like keeping the windows down and doors unlocked in your car. Don't do it. there are many ways for virus's to get on your computer besides email. any web site could be hacked and ready to give out virus's and trojan horse's. also virus's could attach to an email that a freind sends to you. you would open it because it is from a friend. Nyxem.E spreads that way. called mass mailers.

PlasticSpanner · Feb 2, 2006

captblue1 said:
what about webcrawlers that just go looking for computers to comprimise. not running AV is like keeping the windows down and doors unlocked in your car. Don't do it. there are many ways for virus's to get on your computer besides email. any web site could be hacked and ready to give out virus's and trojan horse's. also virus's could attach to an email that a freind sends to you. you would open it because it is from a friend. Nyxem.E spreads that way. called mass mailers.

That's what firewalls are for! :lol:

Artemis · Feb 2, 2006

Aye trusty firewalls

Dont forget spyware and adware!

captblue1 · Feb 3, 2006

PlasticSpanner said:
That's what firewalls are for!

if firewalls stopped everything then why do companys spend so much money on other forms of protection?

Soul Rebel · Feb 11, 2006

I would like to say that I know what I am doing. I think the classes I have taken and the grades I have received would back that up. At least to a point.

Ive got a decent firewall running on each machine on my network. My router is running NAT. Wireless is running AES/WEP. I feel pretty confident that unless I open emails that I shouldnt I wont be getting a virus anytime soon. I also run an online scan using Kaspersky and regulary run Ad-Aware, Spybot and MS Anti-Spyware.

Am I 100% safe? No. But even if you are running a firewall you arent 100% safe. If you miss that update then you might as well remove the AV.