"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
...

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:22:50 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
news:Kr2dnUawZPcbiH3enZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d@comcast. com...

"Don White" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to
delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been
named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected
businesses
into chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered
by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January 26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially
millions of individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus.
The
organisation said: "This worm is different and more serious than
other
worms for a number of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a
user's
files on February 3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes
the
most commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel
documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299
Looks like the anti-virus people need more cash.

I use Avast. It is free and updates the virus definitions daily
automatically.

AVG is also a very good antivirus program........also free.

No need to purchase an antivirus program these days.

What is your backup strategy?

more free software?

Sorry but you don't know what the hell you are talking about.


What is your backup strategy?


I have an external hard drive that I do a full backup to weekly using
Acronis. I store my music and photo files on a partition on my hard drive
and on the external hard drive.

How about you?

"Reggie Smithers" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Reggie Smithers wrote:
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected businesses
into
chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January
26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially millions of
individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus. The
organisation
said: "This worm is different and more serious than other worms for a
number
of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a user's files on February
3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes the
most
commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299


Here is a removal tool. Since the worm "turns off" your antivirus
software, it makes sense for everyone to run a specific removal tool.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com...oval.tool.html


--
Reggie
************************************************** *************
That's my story and I am sticking to it.

************************************************** *************

Reggie, from what I understand, if your Norton or other popular
software is up to date, it will catch it before it turns off your
anitvirus software.

Bassy,
If you were infected before your antivirus included blackmal in it's
database you could still be infected. Since no one will know until 2/3 it
is a simply strategy to run the removal tool.

Then, it's your fault for not noticing that your AV software isn't working.
No matter what anyone tells you, it's not "set it and forget it". You need
to consciously focus on it once a week or so. Or daily, if your computer is
used to earn money.

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
. ..

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
...

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:22:50 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
news:Kr2dnUawZPcbiH3enZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d@comcast .com...

"Don White" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to
delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been
named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected
businesses
into chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered
by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January 26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially
millions of individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus.
The
organisation said: "This worm is different and more serious than
other
worms for a number of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a
user's
files on February 3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes
the
most commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel
documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299
Looks like the anti-virus people need more cash.

I use Avast. It is free and updates the virus definitions daily
automatically.

AVG is also a very good antivirus program........also free.

No need to purchase an antivirus program these days.

What is your backup strategy?

more free software?

Sorry but you don't know what the hell you are talking about.


What is your backup strategy?


I have an external hard drive that I do a full backup to weekly using
Acronis. I store my music and photo files on a partition on my hard drive
and on the external hard drive.

How about you?


Obsessive strategy, but this machine makes $$$$, so I have no choice.

Weekly: Full backup of all data and configuration files. These are done on
Travan-3 tapes, a set of 4, used sequentially.
Daily: Incremental backup (whatever's changed since the previous backup).
Set of 5 tapes, Monday-Friday.
Daily: Same data as in the daily tapes backups is sent via PCAnywhere to an
identically configured laptop.

No full disk backup is done because if the entire OS is fried that badly,
it's generally either impossible, or a waste of time to try and figure out
what the problem was. Better to simply reformat & reinstall, which is a good
housekeeping idea anyway, maybe once a year.

The weakest link in the plan is the potential for fire damage. When I was
working from an office, I'd take home some tapes and leave others at the
office. Now I work at home. Fire safes aren't the panacea we think they are.
And, there's no bank nearby with safe deposit boxes (unbelievable!).

Doug Kanter wrote:
"Reggie Smithers" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Reggie Smithers wrote:
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected businesses
into
chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January
26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially millions of
individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus. The
organisation
said: "This worm is different and more serious than other worms for a
number
of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a user's files on February
3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes the
most
commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299


Here is a removal tool. Since the worm "turns off" your antivirus
software, it makes sense for everyone to run a specific removal tool.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com...oval.tool.html


--
Reggie
************************************************** *************
That's my story and I am sticking to it.

************************************************** *************
Reggie, from what I understand, if your Norton or other popular
software is up to date, it will catch it before it turns off your
anitvirus software.

Bassy,
If you were infected before your antivirus included blackmal in it's
database you could still be infected. Since no one will know until 2/3 it
is a simply strategy to run the removal tool.

Then, it's your fault for not noticing that your AV software isn't working.
No matter what anyone tells you, it's not "set it and forget it". You need
to consciously focus on it once a week or so. Or daily, if your computer is
used to earn money.


Doug,
I am lucky, I have never been infected with a virus or a worm, but I do
try to use a highly rated software package.

When the worm deactivated the antivirus, it still appears to be working.
The way to tell if your software is actually working is to run a eicar
test I would guess very few people run a eicar test on a regular basis.

--
Reggie
************************************************** *************
That's my story and I am sticking to it.

************************************************** *************

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:22:50 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
m...

"Don White" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to
delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been
named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected
businesses
into chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January 26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially
millions of individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus.
The
organisation said: "This worm is different and more serious than other
worms for a number of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a
user's
files on February 3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes the
most commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel
documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299
Looks like the anti-virus people need more cash.

I use Avast. It is free and updates the virus definitions daily
automatically.

AVG is also a very good antivirus program........also free.

No need to purchase an antivirus program these days.

What is your backup strategy?

more free software?

How is the antivirus program you paid for better than a free copy of Avast
or AVG Tom? What program is it that you purchased and like so much?

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:14:01 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:


Then, it's your fault for not noticing that your AV software isn't
working.

Uh, what's AV software? Must be a Windows thing.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. ;-)

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
. ..

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:22:50 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
om...

"Don White" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
==========================
The clock is ticking on a dangerous computer virus programmed to
delete
millions of Word files stored on PCs when it reaches the end of its
countdown on Friday.

Experts have warned that the Blackworm virus, which has also been
named
Blackmal, Nyxem, MyWife and Tearec, could destroy vast amounts of
information when it is triggered, and could send unprotected
businesses
into chaos. The malicious software strikes against machines powered
by
Microsoft's near-ubiquitous Windows software.

According to SANS, the US-based internet security organisation, by
January 26 around 300,000 computer systems, made up of potentially
millions of individual PCs, had already been infected by the virus.
The
organisation said: "This worm is different and more serious than
other
worms for a number of reasons. In particular, it will overwrite a
user's
files on February 3."

The list of file-types that the virus will hit and delete includes
the
most commonly-used formats, including Word, Powerpoint and Excel
documents.
===================================

More at http://tinyurl.com/at299
Looks like the anti-virus people need more cash.

I use Avast. It is free and updates the virus definitions daily
automatically.

AVG is also a very good antivirus program........also free.

No need to purchase an antivirus program these days.

What is your backup strategy?

more free software?

How is the antivirus program you paid for better than a free copy of Avast
or AVG Tom? What program is it that you purchased and like so much?


Wasn't there already a 2,489,602 message thread about this back in November
or December?

"thunder" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:14:01 +0000, Doug Kanter wrote:


Then, it's your fault for not noticing that your AV software isn't
working.

Uh, what's AV software? Must be a Windows thing.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. ;-)

Well....yeah. I do actual work with this computer. :-) Open sauce programs
are too risky.

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 09:10:49 -0500, JimH wrote:


I have an external hard drive that I do a full backup to weekly using
Acronis. I store my music and photo files on a partition on my hard drive
and on the external hard drive.

With a latent virus like this, you could have backed the virus up to that
external hard drive. Something to think about if your data is important.

"thunder" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 09:10:49 -0500, JimH wrote:


I have an external hard drive that I do a full backup to weekly using
Acronis. I store my music and photo files on a partition on my hard
drive
and on the external hard drive.

With a latent virus like this, you could have backed the virus up to that
external hard drive. Something to think about if your data is important.

I run a virus scan prior to backing up.

Here is a nice tool from MS to run:

http://safety.live.com/

More he

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...ry/904420.mspx

http://www.windowsonecare.com/