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New Virus starting to run wild

They were addressed as "Happy New Year" and contained the following virus: W32.Maldal.C@mm

Be alert, as i typically see virus' at the very beginning of when they start to REALLY get into circulation. I know that this one has been floating around for about a week now, but receiving four of them in one day tells me that Maldal is now "on the loose".

You might want to drop by the link below. It is Symantec / Norton and fills you in on the various virus' that they have recently detected. If you have a virus scanner, you REALLY do need to update it QUITE often. It almost seems as if there are new virus' every two or three days now. Updating your version of "Windows" on a regular basis is also HIGHLY recommended.

If you don't have a virus scanner, you can look at the most recent batch of released information every once in a while under their individual names. In the section labeled "distribution", you can find out the BASIC name that is typically shown in the Email subject line. Keep in mind that some of these virus actually "morph" as they evolve and can change things to better hide themselves. This will at least tell you what to avoid and make you more aware of what is currently circulating. The bottom line is that you HAVE to be cautious nowadays.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html
sean
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
Swampwalker...I did a live update late tonight (12/26/01), and this virus family was listed. FYI open the Norton Control Box, click on "Reports" next click on the list of viruses that Norton is protecting you against, click on "view report", then "find", and you can see if the virus that you're interested in, is being protected against. MAKE SURE THAT BOTH THE INNOCULATION AND E-MAIL SCREENING ARE ENABLED! TRUST ME, I LEARNED THE HARD WAY! Happy Tunes!
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Thanks Sean!
ed_sawyer
588 posts
 
Or, you could just get a Mac and be done with it.
sean OP
6,231 posts
 
Yeah, you could buy a Mac. Then all you would have to do is be able to find all the programs that you want to run. While this is not a problem for me ( since i don't have a Mac ), i know others that have run into this situation. They've gotten "upset" that the manufacturers of some killer software don't make programs for Mac's. Guess who gets to run programs for them as a "favor" ??? You can talk all the "smack" that you want about Mac's, but when you can't do simple tasks or what you want to do with them, the "superiority" factor goes down hill REAL fast.

Besides that, some companies are moving away from Mac's. With their commercial based products weakening, they might not be around a lot longer. I've got a few friends that work on puters for a living and they've told me that more than a few design & engineering companies are slowly leaving Mac's behind.

On top of that, Mac's are just as susceptible to virus' as PC's are. It is just that they comprise such a microscopic portion of active internet users, the "idiots" writing virus' don't waste their time toying with them. Why screw around with infecting 100 people when you can create chaos with 10,000 people ???

Then again, this just made me think of something. Wouldn't it be "somethin" if the boys at Mac were responsible for exposing all of the problems with Microsoft / PC based problems via writing Windoes based virus' ???? What a GREAT way to generate sales and demonstrate the "superiority" of Mac's.

To be fair though, i do have to admit that Mac users tend to be FAR more computer literate and of a higher average IQ. Even with the Mac user's greater operating skill and higher level of intelligence, you still can't beat the momentum of mob action that Windows has generated. Sean
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ed_sawyer
588 posts
 
a couple quick points, as this isnt' the forum to prove superiority of macs, but:

1) Virii are simply not an option on Macs, not due to user base, but operating system holes. Simply put there are far far fewer in Mac OS vs. Windoze.

2) Given that OS X is unix-based, and that Unix is the OS of choice for power users/servers/most serious computers since 1970 or so, I don't think software will ever be an issue. Need something you don't have? simply recompile it and run it.

2a.) Given that Unix has as many security holes as most MS stuff, you will have to watch out a lot more than before if using a Mac. Of course, the better OS support and the fact that everyone has the holes figured out by now, makes it more of a moot point.

A tangent: most of the so-called redbook CD 'encryption' issues are only a problem on PCs.

fwiw,

-Ed
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