Christmas Computer Virus TIPs

Christmas Virus TIPs

This holiday season may bring an undesired "gift" in your email.
These new virii (plural of virus) use "Christmas" to lure you
into accepting them, plus another one that Disney never intended.

I've collected some information to help you avoid these unpleasant (and unwanted) gifts.

(Christmas Music) (Snowwhite-Dwarfs) (NAVIDAD)

How it Arrives	EMAIL received which looks like... To: To all my friends From: Test Mail Subject: Testing to send file Body: Hi, just testing email using Merry Christmas music file, not bad music. Attachment: Music.com., Music.zip, or Music.exe
How it Infects	If you click on the attached file ... A window that reads "Merry Christmas" will display and start playing a midi file rendition of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." The virus will change your browser's home page, attempt to download a new version of itself from the internet, and then send itself to all email addresses in your Windows Address Book (WAB). You might catch your "traffic" icon blinking while your sitting idle, neither loading a new web page nor sending email.
How to Avoid	Delete the email, DO NOT click on the attachment
How to Recover	Update your Virus Protection Software with the newest "Virus Signature" files. Most of the current Software products have a menu item which will connect you to their Web Site download center and provide instructions for updating. Launch your Virus Protection software, Scan all drives, and "clean" any infected files.
How Destructive?	Initial reports indicate that it does not cause any damage. However, since it can download updates to itself...the next update might cause damage.

How it Arrives	EMAIL received which looks like... To: "One your email recipients" From: Hahaha Subject: Snowhite and the seven Dwarfs - The REAL Story! Body text: "Today, Snowhite was turning 18. The 7 Dwarfs always where very educated and polite with Snowhite. When they go out work at mornign (sic), they promissed (sic) a huge* surprise. Snowhite was anxious. Suddlently* (sic), the door open, and the Seven Dwarfs enter..." Attachment: a variable file name ending with .exe or .scr, most commonly dwarf4you.exe
How it Infects	If you click on the attached file ... Nothing happens...that you can see, that is. The virus installs itself on your PC and downloads an update to itself from the internet. It will then send copies of itself (same email as above) to recipients on your outgoing email. It will continue to download additional updates while you are connected to the internet. You might catch your "traffic" icon blinking while your sitting idle, neither loading a new web page nor sending email.
How to Avoid	Delete the email, DO NOT click on the attachment
How to Recover	Update your Virus Protection Software with the newest "Virus Signature" files. Most of the current Software products have a menu item which will connect you to their Web Site download center and provide instructions for updating. Launch your Virus Protection software, Scan all drives, and "clean" any infected files. Click here for Removal Instructions from McAafee
How Destructive?	One (1) Windows file will need to be restored, but in general, initial reports indicate that it does not cause any damage. However, since it can download updates to itself...the next update might cause damage.

How it Arrives	EMAIL received which looks like... To: "your own email" From: "Someone you've emailed in the past" Subject: RE: "the subject of a previous email" Body text: "May be the content of the previous message or an invitation to click on the attached file" Attachment: NAVIDAD.EXE
How it Infects	If you click on the attached file ... An eyeball icon is installed in the lower right hand corner of the Windows desktop and while loading, an error dialog box will appear on the screen displaying the letters "UI". copying and sending itself out via e-mail as replies. Once it has successfully installed itself, it will begin sending copies of itself out as replies to emails in your address book.
How to Avoid	Delete the email, DO NOT click on the attachment
How to Recover	Update your Virus Protection Software with the newest "Virus Signature" files. Most of the current Software products have a menu item which will connect you to their Web Site download center and provide instructions for updating. Launch your Virus Protection software, scan all drives, and "clean" any infected files. Please take extra care when removing this virus. The change made to the Windows registry file make it a sensitive operation. Follow the virus protection software instructions... for Mcaffee Virus shield instructions ... click here
How Destructive?	Initial reports indicate that it does not cause any damage, however it does make several changes to the Windows Registry file.

Your email friends may have
a virus in their Inbox right now . . .

Play it safe. Pass this information on to them.
Let's help everyone avoid these unpleasant gifts!

As always,
we welcome your suggestions for future TIPs and GUIDEs.
Your ideas are always the best :-)
send email to mark@eakles.com


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