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Pastimes : Computer Learning -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Patricia Meaney who wrote (40677)	4/16/2004 9:06:34 AM
From: Elsewhere	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 110652

I still haven't downloaded the newest updates - is this true? I don't have a high opinion of Microsoft but I strongly doubt that MS distributes virus-infected software. Here's the Symantec worm description: W32.Welchia.B.Worm securityresponse.symantec.com (Nachi.B is one of the aliases) Welchia exploits the XP RPC vulnerability on TCP port 135. This means that if somebody goes online with a XP PC which is not patched against this vulnerability it can be infected without the usual way of infected emails or downloads. Instead the transmission occurs by a direct connection from an already infected system to the XP operating system. A friend of mine recently had a similar experience: he went online with a brand new PC, didn't patch it - and was Blaster-infected within two hours. Blaster exploits the RPC vulnerability as well.

To: Patricia Meaney who wrote (40677)	4/16/2004 3:14:21 PM
From: thecow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 110652

I would lean toward believing the person that posted those messages about a downloaded virus from Microsoft was wrong. I would be willing to bet him a substantial portion of my portfolio on it. I had problem with the update which turned out to be something to do with the Media Player version 9. If he had a virus at all, he probably didn't shut down System Restore and was reinfected. If he had installed the updates close to the time they were offered, he never would have gotten them in the first place. Both rely upon two vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software. Sophos recommends that users ensure their computers are patched against these vulnerabilities. The two patches have been available from Microsoft since March and July 2003 respectively. Moral to story: You can't help someone who won't help themselves.