Excellent computer advice!

[gmattson]

Normally, lots of reports I get daily, fall into the 'junk' mail category. This article, however, is must reading for anyone who is concerned about e-mail viruses. There is a place where you can get a free antivirus program. (I didn't have one!!)GEM

"Bite The Love Bug Back"

Were you affected? The fastest spreading virus of all time recently took the world by storm. It was called the "I Love You" virus. This 'Love Bug' wreaked havoc on many of the world's computers, leaving in its wake thousands of companies anxiously searching for a solution.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

Now that the initial panic has subsided, what have we learned?

One very important lesson is that we can no longer assume that attachments from people we know are safe!

"The Love Bug" sends emails with attachments from infected computers that use Outlook Express. Those attachments, when opened, will infect the receiving computer. So now, the old safeguard of not opening attachments from strangers is no longer enough.

The true danger of today's viruses is that they will most likely be sent to you by people you know and trust, before they realize they have been infected.

What we must do now to protect ourselves is not open any attachments that we were not expecting without first checking with the person who sent the email to make sure he actually sent it. Of course, you should still never open attachments from people you don't know.

As a courtesy, you should explain what any attachments are to anyone you send one to.

What I have done is create a template email that I send as a reply to emails with unexplained attachments. It reads: "Thank you for the email you sent me shown below. It contains an attachment that you did not explain the purpose of. In view of the possibility that a virus could have sent this to me without your knowledge, I would appreciate an explanation of the attachment's purpose. As a precaution, I have deleted the attachment, so please send it again with your reply." I then paste this template into my email reply and await a response.

You cannot rely on just deleting attachments with known subject titles such as "I Love You" as the subject in the case of the Love Bug virus because subject titles used by viruses are always changing.

Some 'experts' go so far as to say not to use Outlook Express because many of the recent viruses have been created specifically to make use of Outlook Express to spread itself to others. However, if you follow the precautions outlined in this article, you should have no problems.

One caveat to using Outlook and Outlook Express is that there is a security hole that can allow an email without an attachment to infect your computer. One virus is called Bubbleboy and another is JS/KAK. If you haven't downloaded and installed the patch to correct this, you should do so immediately. Go to http://microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms99-032.asp It is referred to as the 'Patch Available for "scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog" Vulnerability.'

In addition to the patch you should disable email scripting. In Outlook go to Tools|Options|Security. In the Security Zones section make sure "Restricted sites zone (More secure)" is checked. Now open your Internet Explorer and go to Tools|Internet Options| Security. Click Custom Level. Scroll down near the end until you find Scripting|Active scripting and change the setting to disable. This will prevent scripts in emails from automatically running when you read or preview them. There is no good reason for allowing email scripting. It simply is not safe to use Outlook unless these changes are made.

You should also check the Microsoft site periodically and keep up-to-date on any software patches for Outlook Express, especially security related ones.

One snare used by the Love Bug virus takes advantage of the default Windows setting that hides file extensions. The attachment ended with .txt.vbs, but since Windows hides the file extension, you only see the .txt which makes you think it's just a plain text file. Unfortunately, lurking in the shadows is the .vbs extension.

To eliminate this snare, you should change the Windows setting so that you can see the real extension. In your Windows Explorer, go to View|Folder Options|View and look down the list of options for "Hide file extensions for known file types" and uncheck it. Click Apply and then OK. Now the full extensions will be displayed for your files.

They say the best defense is a good offense. This proactive approach will protect you from the vast majority of possible virus infections. However, a good virus protection program that is regularly updated is vital to your computer's health. You can download a free one at http://www.antivirus.cai.com

There are many good virus protection programs, but the most important thing is that you update yours often, at least once a month.

Another vital defensive approach is to educate all personnel who use a computer in your company so that they understand how their computer can become infected. Make sure they read this article and understand the importance of taking these steps. It only takes one uninformed person on your network to cause an infection that will affect everyone in the company.

A list of defensive approaches to virus protection would not be complete without the mention of back-ups. It is vital that you make backups of your important files on a regular basis. Not only are they a protection against viruses, but they are a valuable ally against even worse catastrophes. Remember, it's not a question of will your hard drive crash, but when. So get in the habit of doing regular back ups. Do it now!

Now you might be saying, "All of this is good, but what does it have to do with biting the Love Bug back?" If everyone follows the advice given, viruses like the Love Bug will not be able to spread very well, if at all. Thus, their sting will be gone. With no more media coverage for the vandals, perhaps they will turn their talents toward more productive pursuits.

Yours for safe computing,

==================================================================== This article was written by: Ellery Coleman