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Rip Van Redmond
>"Plus, if you have Windows XP and don't have Service Pack 2 and if you can't get to Windows Update because of that virus, order yourself a Service Pack 2 CD."

M$ has been known to take months to "fulfill" a CD order, by which time it is often obsolete, replaced by the next "Service" pack.

It would probably be much quicker to find someone who can download the Service Pack, and who has a CD-rom burner and a high-speed connection.

And, installing the Sp _after_ the infestation will not remove it!

A far better solution would be to restore your computer from the daily (or nightly) backup prior to the receipt of the infested email. [You do back up your computer daily, in case of disk failure, viral infection, or the latest inadequately-tested Windoze patch, don't you?]

Unfortunately, those who fall prey to these attacks do NOT keep their computers updated, use built-in or third-party protections, or backup their files. Nobody told them they need to do so, or they didn't understand the instructions, or they can't understand having to spend additional money to protect the computer for which they (overpaid) so much money, or they are simply too lazy.

The solution lies in ISP's installing "postini" or equivalent, to stop infected email from being transmitted to or from user computers, and in hunting down and prosecuting to the limit those who deliberately spread "malware". Ironically, when a virus/trojan/etc. hits a government installation, the FBI does trace it back to (and arrest) the author. The tools are there to stop these attacks.
Posted by: cdgoldin   Posted on: 06/02/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Remember kiddies, don't open those .COMs  Nigel Johnstone | 06/02/05
.. or .BAT, or .SCR, or .PIF....  Xunil_Sierutuf | 06/02/05
Butt...  Qbt | 06/02/05
True the user must click it  voska | 06/02/05
You Shouldnt Have to Worry About Clicking It?  Jadal | 06/02/05
It's common sense  voska | 06/02/05
Ya gotta have knowledge of what is common sense first  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
If it was common sense....  jheine | 06/02/05
Or nothing  springerj | 06/02/05
Or nothing new  roo_z | 06/03/05
What email, firewall, and EV programs are you using?  cdgoldin | 06/02/05
how come?  pesky_z | 06/02/05
Because it's an exchange medium  eustace | 06/02/05
Paranoia out of the box.  Anton Philidor | 06/02/05
That is not correct  Dave P. | 06/02/05
There's a less paranoia-spreading solution  heylyn | 06/02/05
Good idea just not fool-proof.  iwish40 | 06/02/05
Good Idea  G Fedorchuk | 06/04/05
....or use any older version of Outlook...  jheine | 06/02/05
VoialAutomation  pj-xmesh | 06/02/05
Your action is required!  artplus@... | 06/02/05
Well said.  Grayson Peddie | 06/02/05
Rip Van Redmond  cdgoldin | 06/02/05
It's simple  Predator_z | 06/02/05
DUH  glstorck@... | 06/02/05
Service Pack 2 CD  kvhepler | 06/02/05
Here ya go  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
RE..sp2 CD  iwish40 | 06/02/05
I wonder if the guy even chkd back  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
Damn you, Squawky!  Real World | 06/03/05
Liked my Easter Egg huh?  Squawkbox | 06/03/05
It also wouldn't hurt...  Dave P. | 06/02/05
Antivirus companies are partly to blame  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
be careful what you ask for  michael@... | 06/02/05
On that evidence......  cicuta | 06/02/05
On that evidence......  namnav | 06/02/05
Windows vs. Linux  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
Couple things about this...  Zinoron | 06/02/05
Linux and viruses  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
5 years?  Wolfie2K3 | 06/02/05
Linux... because it's not a popular desktop client? Yet.  HypnoToad | 06/02/05
No they're not  cicuta | 06/02/05
Disabling virus protection  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
Let them all be infected  cicuta | 06/02/05
Well hold on bucko  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
Antivirus updates  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
Oh I agree, I agree  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
They do. Er, mine does, anyway.  eustace | 06/02/05
Antivirus companies are greedy too  terrym0021 | 06/02/05
I use free antivirus software  heylyn | 06/02/05
Behavior of botted machines  pwabrahams | 06/02/05
I have to agree with you  glstorck@... | 06/02/05
Would this affect my new iMac G5?  Paco20 | 06/02/05
Nope, sorry...  theo_durcan | 06/02/05
Sorry, These Viruses Only Affect Inferior OSes...  itanalyst | 06/02/05
Re: Sorry, These Viruses Only Affect Inferior OSes...  eustace | 06/02/05
don't bother responding to the "analyst"  John Zern | 06/02/05
You call a 92% market share "inferior"?  cicuta | 06/02/05
Huh? Me thinks you exaggerate a touch  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
Me thinks you haven't met some ZDNet users....  cicuta | 06/02/05
Are you new to the ZDNet forums?  Squawkbox | 06/02/05
You misinterpreted the word 'inferior'  buran | 06/02/05
Why Thank You Buran!  itanalyst | 06/02/05
I don't have any tattoos of Win-logo (or any others)  buran | 06/03/05
Just because...  croloff | 06/02/05
OS's designed for the "mass market" are inherently inferior  Kaysee | 06/02/05
WRONG  itanalyst | 06/02/05
Re: Wrong  Paco20 | 06/02/05
Re: You call a 92% market share inferior?  Paco20 | 06/02/05
You, sir, are the one suffering from delusions  kbeartxzd | 06/06/05
Would this affect my new iMac G5?  batavier | 06/02/05
No, but...  gfeier | 06/03/05
Are new variations of old worms getting scary?  billh@... | 06/02/05
Only if you paid them enough  Jake M.D. | 06/02/05
I think what we"re seeing  s_gamgee | 06/03/05
Who's in control?  Chryse | 06/02/05
You should be  BassPlayer_z | 06/02/05
You can still be in control!  cdgoldin | 06/02/05
Disconnect your network whenever possible  terrym0021 | 06/02/05
Who's in control? ... I am  bobjones68@... | 06/02/05
We need a piece of software...  trm1945 | 06/02/05
Blame users , oh so easy by arrogant tech  redrumbler | 06/02/05
I Keep All My Relevant Data On My 1GB Jump Drive  itanalyst | 06/02/05
Make lots of copies. Share less pirvate data on P2P (Emule, Limiwire...)  GreatInca | 06/02/05
RE: Blame users , oh so easy by arrogant tech  Linux User 147560 | 06/02/05
What happens when...  Predator_z | 06/02/05
RE: What happens when...  Linux User 147560 | 06/02/05
Well I am waiting  Linux User 147560 | 06/02/05
Numerically & Factually Challenged Scoring?  _Shayde_ | 06/02/05
RE: Numerically & Factually Challenged Scoring?  Linux User 147560 | 06/03/05
So there people are STILL  michael_t | 06/02/05
Firemen starting their own fires?  psoup | 06/02/05
There's a new idea...  Jake M.D. | 06/02/05
Both ways  Predator_z | 06/02/05
Starting Fires  fpodolka | 06/03/05
just say no  Tommy Gun | 06/02/05
Basically  Jake M.D. | 06/02/05
along the lines of bad_bad_virus.EXE.  dmartin7 | 06/02/05
antivirus programs  goldentree | 06/02/05
Makes One Wonder....  EBathory | 06/02/05
Simple - don't buy a Windows box  ITGuy04 | 06/02/05
The only practical solution...  RKaiser@... | 06/02/05
Block Zombie Host  s_gamgee | 06/03/05
And cell phones are faster becoming a mobile threat  FilledOut | 06/02/05
The best solution  nightshade0143 | 06/02/05
Ha Ha!.....  ab@... | 06/02/05
Extra protection  SilverEagle_z | 06/02/05
FYI, OS-X *already* works this way...  kbeartxzd | 06/06/05
Missing the storm (for 6 years)  Canadian Kodiak | 06/02/05
The other day  s_gamgee | 06/03/05
Solution  roo_z | 06/03/05
it's time for email attachments to be segregated  alan@... | 06/03/05
Those cute Flash websites  RikP | 06/04/05
My OS/2 whips all your puny OSes  FilledOut | 06/04/05
Network Lockdown  wolfsouls | 06/06/05
M$ Under Attack, Again  previso@... | 06/08/05

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