>From website about Bubble boy:
Howdy, y'all, and welcome aboard a quick, bonus TOURBUS post. Why a
bonus post? Well, Reuters is reporting that
Researchers have discovered what they believe to be the first e-
mail-borne computer infection that doesn't require a user to open
an e-mail or e-mail attachment for it to wreak havoc.
Dubbed "Bubbleboy" after an episode of TV sitcom "Seinfeld," the
virus is known as a worm because it is self-propagating ...
"Historically, as long as you don't open e-mail attachments
you're safe from virus infection, but this changes all that,"
said Sal Viveros, a marketing manager at Network Associates.
[You can read the entire Reuters story online at
http://news.excite.com/news/r/991110/03/net-tech-virus ]
Yadda yadda yadda. Ignore the hysteria, folks -- here is what is
*REALLY* going on. There is a significant security hole in Microsoft
Windows 98 (and later versions of 95) that could conceivably give some
nefarious netizen the ability to do ANYTHING to your computer -- like
erase your files, format your hard drive, and so on. Because
Microsoft's products are so closely integrated, this security hole
affects anyone who uses Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or 5 ... and,
from what I can gather, it also affects anyone who uses Microsoft
Outlook or Outlook Express.
"Bubbleboy" takes advantage of this well-known security hole.
Now for the good news: Microsoft released a software patch that fixed
this hole way back on August 31st! As long as you install the patch,
you have nothing to worry about. Bubbleboy will NOT get you!
Here is how to download and install the patch:
1. Go to Start --> Settings --> Windows Update on your PC. This
launches Internet Explorer and connects you to Microsoft's
Windows Update page [ http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ ]
2. On the left-hand side of the page, click on the "Product
Updates" link (it is the one with the hand and the red *)
3. A pop-up window will appear, telling you to wait while your
computer DOESN'T send any information to Microsoft (well,
that's what it says!)
4. Eventually, you'll see a page that says "Select Software."
When Microsoft releases an essential update or patch, they put
it in this page's "Critical Updates" section. So, click on
EVERYTHING in the "Critical Updates" section and then click on
the big, grey "Download" arrow in the top right hand corner of
the page. [The file that fixes the Bubbleboy security hole is
called "Update for Security Vulnerabilities in
'Scriptlet.typlib' and 'Eyedog' ActiveX Controls," but you
might as well download ALL of Microsoft's critical updates
while you're at it -- it is better to be safe than sorry.]
5. Follow the on-screen prompts. That's it! :)
You can also download the patch directly from Microsoft at
<A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp";>
http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp </A>
but the Windows Update method is a heck of a lot easier!
What about Reuters' warning that "[r]esearchers have discovered what
they believe to be the first e-mail-borne computer infection that
doesn't require a user to open an e-mail or e-mail attachment for it
to wreak havoc?" Should you panic? Of course not. This too shall
pass. Take a deep breath, and then download and install the security
patch. Problem solved. :)
-----Original Message-----
From: Tai-Pan <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: CS>OT, Virus,flu and computer
>Marshall Dudley wrote:
>
>> I received an email on these earlier today. I use Netscape. How do you
>> delete a message without opening it? The delete button deletes the
opened
>> message, and I know of no way to delete a message without opening it.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Marshall
>
> Hi Marshall,
> Come to think of it, you don`t.
> Here is a direct quote.
>
> "Bubbleboy only requires that the e-mail be previewed on the inbox
>screen of Microsofts Outlook Express. As soon as the e-mail is
>highlighted, without so much as a click of a mouse, it infects the
>computer."
> " The virus affects computers with Windows 98 and some versions of
>Windows 95 that use Internet Explorer 5.0 and Outlook Express Web
>Browser and e-mail programs."
>
> I have my Norton anti-virus set to check any file that is opened. :-)
> Did that this morning.
>
> Bless you Bob Lee
>--
>oozing on the muggy shore of the gulf coast
> [email protected]
>
>
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