May I get some clarification here?

Several months ago there were many  many warnings on this site that it was
NOT a good idea to automatically use all the updates Microsoft sent out for
XP computers. This advice was emphatic and came from MANY of you.  As a
result I have NOT EVER gone to MS site to get updates.

NOW I'm hearing - keep current! Get all the updates!!

Can someone please tell me:

1. In plain english, yes or no: the updates are a good idea? Or is it not
that simple? And if not, what to do?

2.  The specific steps - website address / options on that screen to pick,
steps to follow - to protect against this worm.

The Norton site on this stinks - it gives highly technical steps to follow
to block the invasion (e.g. "Block these ports") without any specific
directions on how to do it.

I've yet to see a straightforward, Razzak style

Step 1
Step 2

etc. description of what to do!

Any help out there?

David Blocker

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Johansen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "RBASE-L Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 2:24 PM
Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm


> I agree,
>
> MS had a patch out for this worm 3 weeks ago. Just once a week go to
> windows update.
>
> I would do it before August 16th because this worm is set to launch a
> DDOS attack on the windows update site then ;-)
>
> Ben Johansen - http://www.pcforge.com
> Authorized Witango Reseller http://www.pcforge.com/WitangoGoodies.htm
> Authorized MDaemon Mail Server Reseller
> http://www.pcforge.com/AltN.htm
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of J.
> Stephen Wills
> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 11:09 AM
> To: RBASE-L Mailing List
> Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm
>
> As some have said, and I would re-iterate, everyone please apply ALL the
> necessary patches/updates fm Microsoft as it appears, TTBOMK, that
> simply
> removing the offending virus is not (necessarily) a preventive measure.
> That is, a system will still be vulnerable, anti-virus code
> notwithstanding,
> to such attacks if its O/S is not also made current.
>
> My $0.02,
> Steve in Memphis
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ben Johansen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "RBASE-L Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 12:33 PM
> Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > The people that fight these viruses are like bloodhounds. Once one of
> > the big virus fighting labs catches wind of the virus, all of the
> major
> > players are notified.
> >
> > They go so far as to take a computer reformat it to a generic/standard
> > setup un-infected and then infect it with the one virus and then the
> go
> > in and log all the changes (registry, new files, check sum on existing
> > files)
> >
> > With the number of Eye looking, it is practically impossible for any
> > remnants of the virus or another virus to be left once you have run
> one
> > of the cleaners from the various labs.
> >
> > So, once it is clean, it is Clean
> >
> > Ben Johansen - http://www.pcforge.com
> > Authorized Witango Reseller http://www.pcforge.com/WitangoGoodies.htm
> > Authorized MDaemon Mail Server Reseller
> > http://www.pcforge.com/AltN.htm
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dennis
> > Fleming
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 6:38 AM
> > To: RBASE-L Mailing List
> > Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm
> >
> > Thanks Ben,
> >
> > Some of my customers have asked if after they have loaded the Windows
> > patch, and virus updates, and their PC is "OK", if there could still
> be
> > any
> > residual damage, time released viruses, etc.
> >
> > I said probably not, but once a virus has invaded your PC, you really
> > don't
> > know.
> >
> > Dennis
> > *****
> >
> >
> > At 12:43 AM 8/13/2003 -0700, you wrote:
> > >Hi,
> > >
> > >>(I'm convinced my ISP wasn't clean.)
> > >I don't think this is the case, upon reading about the worm, you will
> > find
> > >out that the worm takes an infected system and starts looking for ip
> > address
> > >with the ports open and not patched with the MS patch.
> > >So it could have been any of the hijacked computers just coming at
> you
> > over
> > >the internet. Now it still could be you ISP but you would have to
> look
> > in
> > >log files (if on a server) to see.
> > >
> > >Workstations can be infected by this also
> > >
> > >
> > >Details of this virus can be found here:
> > >http://www.viruslist.com/eng/viruslist.html?id=61577
> > >
> > >Summary of what it does:
> > >http://www.kaspersky.com/news.html?id=985139
> > >
> > >Ben Johansen - http://www.pcforge.com
> > >-Authorized WiTango Reseller
> > > http://www.pcforge.com/WitangoGoodies.htm
> > >-Authorized Alt-N Reseller
> > > http://www.pcforge.com/AltN.htm
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Dennis
> > >Fleming
> > >Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 6:38 PM
> > >To: RBASE-L Mailing List
> > >Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm
> > >
> > >
> > >For anyone else experiencing the joys of the world of computing...
> > >
> > >The problem I had was Norton removed W32.Blaster.worm, but then it
> kept
> > >coming back until I finally loaded the Windows XP patch. (I'm
> convinced
> > my
> > >ISP wasn't clean.)
> > >
> > >The MS download for XP is: WindowsXP-KB823980-x86-ENU.EXE
> > >
> > >My lesson today: It's not enough just keeping your virus definitions
> up
> > to
> > >date. You need to check on the critical Windows updates too.
> > >
> > >Dennis
> > >*****
> > >
> > >
> > >At 12:46 PM 8/1/2003 -0700, you wrote:
> > >>I had it on four of my computers here. I do not know how it came in
> > yet.
> > >>
> > >>I went to the symantec website. They have a removal tool for it.
> > Really
> > >easy
> > >>to remove.
> > >>
> > >>Dan
> > >>
> > >>-----Original Message-----
> > >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of
> Dennis
> > >>Fleming
> > >>Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 10:42 AM
> > >>To: RBASE-L Mailing List
> > >>Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: New Worm
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>What was the probable source of this worm? (i.e., why didn't my ISP
> > pick it
> > >>up?)
> > >>
> > >>What a pain! I would love to be in a locked room with all the worms
> > who
> > >>write worms and viruses for just a day.
> > >>
> > >>Thanks for the heads-up,
> > >>
> > >>Dennis
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>At 11:00 PM 8/11/2003 -0400, you wrote:
> > >>>Buddy,
> > >>>It's called  W32.Blaster.worm
> > >>>The symptom is, it will perform a shutdown as soon as you boot up,
> it
> > >>>generously gives you a minute to close any open processes.
> > >>>You have to reboot in safe mode with networking to do the
> following.
> > >>>
> > >>>I got it.  Now it's gone, took me several hours.
> > >>>
> > >>>If using NAV goto www.sarc.com for instructions
> > >>>Basically do regedit, find msblast.exe and delete it.
> > >>>In XP Pro run task mgr and if  cmd.exe is running, highlight it and
> > click
> > >>>end process
> > >>>
> > >>>Before doing all this you should set system restore off, so what U
> R
> > doing
> > >>>doesn't get registered in case you have to roll back.
> > >>>Then go to
> > >http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/defs.download.html
> > >>>This will download the urgent visrus defs. The live update is only
> > updated
> > >>>each Wednesday, this site has the downloads for virus's found
> > immediately.
> > >>>
> > >>>Good Luck
> > >>>----- Original Message -----
> > >>>From: "Walker, Buddy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >>>To: "RBASE-L Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >>>Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 7:12 PM
> > >>>Subject: [RBASE-L] - New Worm
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>You may want to take a look at this URL:
> > >>>http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?date=2003-08-11
> > >>>
> > >>>It's a new RPC worm that is going around.  If one of your client
> > machines
> > >>>has it, it may be spread it to the server.
> > >>>
> > >>>Buddy
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>Dennis Fleming
> > >>IISCO
> > >>http://www.TheBestCMMS.com
> > >>Phone: 570 775-7593
> > >>Fax:   570 775-9797
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >Dennis Fleming
> > >IISCO
> > >http://www.TheBestCMMS.com
> > >Phone: 570 775-7593
> > >Fax:   570 775-9797
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > Dennis Fleming
> > IISCO
> > http://www.TheBestCMMS.com
> > Phone: 570 775-7593
> > Fax:   570 775-9797
> >
>
>

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