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Pastimes : VIRUS ALERT -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: miraje who wrote (1)	6/11/1998 2:38:00 PM
From: Crocodile	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 47

James, I just finished reloading my software after a major hard drive meltdown a couple of days ago... However, the Budweiser Frogs didn't come by email. A friend sent me a little plastic figurine of them in a package by snail mail. Darned things must be really destructive. I hung them up on the wall over my computer and by the next day... well, the rest is history.... ;-}> BTW, the frogs were sitting on a crocodile's back with a case of Bud. Looks like they got the best of the Old Croc this time... Croc P.S. Good idea for a thread. Should be interesting.

To: miraje who wrote (1)	6/11/1998 8:28:00 PM
From: Daniel Miller	Respond to of 47

Ok... time for the real scoop on viruses. I have delt with fighting viruses on the internet for quite awhile already. I have it all figured out. This letter should hopefully solve some of your problems. This will only get into details about the AOL problems about Password stealers (PWS). 1) Buddylist.zip-Steals password. Not only does this file steal your password but you can rename buddylist.zip into anything you feel like. Don't just think you can download something that says AOLupgrade.zip. It could still be the same thing as buddylist.zip. The way these "Password stealers" (PWS) work is that when you run the program it will automatically enter a run command in your win.ini. Every time you turn on your computer it will automatically run this program. Whenver you sign onto AOL it will do an assortment of things: 1) Sign on then say re-enter your username and password with the picture of the spy, like a normal sign on when you do it as guest. After that it will send the password to a specified email address. 2) Will copy every letter which you write in your password so that it is readable and not in ****. Then whe you sign on it will send the password to the specified email address. After either of thses two steps another thing can happen. 1) It will change your AOL programming so that you are unable to change your password. (If this happens re-install AOL or call AOL and change it over the phone). 2) Will sign you off of AOL. 3) Will erase the sent mail where it says your password and username so it seems as though nothing was sent. What happens if you already have a PWS in your system and you can't get rid of it, because whenever you try to delete it, it says "program is in use" Meaning you win.ini is using it. Go to your win.ini and look for any unusual run commands. Delete the command and then save it. Restart your computer then delete the file. It may also be in your Windows, temp folder. Check in both places. How to prevent downloading a PWS. 1) Do not download things from people you don't know. EXPECIALLY people who say they are from AOL. AOL will NEVER send a file attachment through an E-mail. If they want you to download something they will do it automatically when you sign on. 2) If the file says XXXXX.EXE DL time <1 min. It is a PWS! Nothing is able to be downloaded in 1 minute that is an EXE except for a PWS because it has so little programming in it. 3) If it is a .ZIP file and also is <1 minute it is also a PWS. If you have a file that you are curious about wether it is a PWS or not, you kmay send it to me at dovi3@hotmail.com, send me a private message to check my mail at dovi3@hotmail.com and I will check to see wether the file is a PWS or not. My next message will include steps about Viruses. If you ahev any more questions about PWS please post and I will answer them. Also if you have any other questions about things in these categories I think I can help. I have discovered how almost all of these things work. -Daniel Miller - Trying to keep your computer safe:) DM14trader@hotmail.com