From a MS newsletter --------
This special edition of the Office News Service is to alert you to a new e-mail virus that has the potential to affect users running Microsoft Outlook.
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Last week a new virus began circulating through e-mail that has the potential to affect a wide range of e-mail users including those users running Microsoft Outlook. If run, the virus could overwrite .jpg, .mp3 and other file types, and attempt to send a copy of itself to everyone in the recipient's address book.
The e-mail containing the virus typically carries a subject line of "ILOVEYOU" (although other variants have also arisen with the subject lines containing text such as Mother's Day, Joke, and Virus Alert). Inside the mail is a short text message saying "Kindly check the attached
LOVELETTER coming from me" and an attachment named LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.txt.vbs. If you receive this message or any of the related messages, it is important to delete the message immediately and empty it from your Deleted Items folder. It is important to note that this virus cannot run by itself. In order for it to run, the recipient must open the mail, launch the attachment by double-clicking on it, and answer "yes" to a dialogue that warns of the dangers of running untrusted programs. For more information on this virus and all other Microsoft security information, please see:
<http://www.Microsoft.com/security>
Below are a series of tips and best practices that can help Outlook users increase their security protection to avoid being affected by these types of viruses in the future.
1) Customers can avoid being affected by this and other viruses by following standard best practices:
++ Never run an executable from someone you don't know.
++ Always have a good-quality virus scanner.
++ Always keep the virus scanner's signature files up to date.
2) Outlook users should install the E-mail Attachment Security Update from the Office Update Web site. This update increases the security protection provided by Outlook for certain types of e-mail attachments. Once installed, this update will change the attachment dialog box when certain attachments such as executables are opened so that users see more explicit warning language and will be required to save the attachment to the file system before opening it. This update helps users avoid accidentally releasing viruses that hide in .exe files or from file extensions they are not familiar with. It is important to note that saving the attachment to the file system does not automatically remove any virus that may be present. Before opening the attachment users must scan it using an updated anti-virus software program. This update also prevents Worm viruses from spreading through the Outlook Address Book. The primary benefit of this update is to ensure users are aware of the potential security risk of attachments and to decrease the potential for viruses to be spread through the Outlook Address Book. This update is also included as part of Office 2000 SR-1.
These updates are located at:
Office 2000 Service Release 1- <
officeupdate.microsoft.com;
Outlook 2000 E-mail Attachment Security Update- <
officeupdate.microsoft.com;
Outlook 98 E-mail Attachment Security Update- <
officeupdate.microsoft.com;
Outlook 97 E-mail Attachment Security Update- <
officeupdate.microsoft.com;
3) If you use Outlook 2000, use the option to set your attachment security setting to High. When security is set to High, users will receive a warning before opening an attachment. To make sure your setting is set to High:
1) On the Tools menu select Options
2) Select the Security Tab
3) Click on the Attachment Security button
4) Select High (if not already selected)
Microsoft and Outlook are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
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