Further to Paul's warning on a new virus, here is a message from our
campus computer guru about the 'Anna Kournikova' virus. looks like it
might be related but I'm not sure.
Cheers
Vic Hughes
Received: from <scides.canberra.edu.au [137.92.26.25]> by
student.canberra.edu.au (8.8.8/8.8.7) with ESMTP id PAA09706; Tue, 13
Feb 2001 15:09:13 +1100 (EDT)
Received: from <sd-sub26-206.canberra.edu.au [137.92.26.206]> by
scides.canberra.edu.au (8.8.8/8.8.7) with ESMTP id PAA13803; Tue, 13
Feb 2001 15:07:12 +1100 (EDT)
Message-Id: <4.2.0.58.20010213144236.00aba8b0@scides.canberra.edu.au>
X-Sender: trueman@scides.canberra.edu.au
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.2.0.58
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 15:07:30 +1100
To: all@scides.canberra.edu.au
From: Peter Trueman <Peter.Trueman@canberra.edu.au>
Subject: New virus making the rounds
Mime-Version: 1.0
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
Hi everyone,
Apparently there's a new virus making the rounds, named after the Russian
tennis player Anna Kournikova. It may appear with the subject title "Here
you go,;0)" or "Here you have, ;0)". The e-mail message will typically have
an attachment named "AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs", although the last extension
(.vbs) might be hidden, tricking the receiver into believing they have
received a relatively harmless JPG picture file. The deception is enhanced
because it may appear as if the e-mail has been sent to you by someone that
you know.
As is always the case with e-mail viruses, the danger lies primarily in
opening the attachment. Allow me to reiterate that users should not open
attachments from unknown sources, nor any attachment with a .vbs extension.
VBS stands for Visual Basic Script and a .vbs file will almost certainly
contain a list of instructions that will be executed when the script is run
on a Windows 98 computer.
In the case of the Kournikova virus, the script copies itself to your
Windows directory and then attempts to send itself to everyone in your
address book. This latter function, however, will only work if you have
Microsoft Outlook installed on your computer, so Eudora and Netscape users
can rest assured that at least they will not be sending the virus to their
friends and contacts.
Windows 98 users can prevent .vbs files from executing on their computer by
following the instructions at the end of this message.
Further information about the Kournikova virus can be seen at the following
URL:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/02/12/anna.worm/index.html
If you do receive such an e-mail message, the best course of action is to
delete the attachment, by going to your attachments directory, selecting
(but NOT double-clicking) the file and hitting the "DEL" key. Remember that
you may not see the ".vbs" extension, so the file may have the appearance
of something else.
If you have any further problems of queries on this matter, please send an
e-mail to "helpdesk@scides.canberra.edu.au".
Thank you for your attention.
========================================================================
How to disable Script execution under Windows 98
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click the Windows Setup tab.
4. Double-click Accessories.
5. Scroll down, if necessary, locate the Windows Scripting Host
entry and note whether it is checked or unchecked.
If it is not checked, it is not installed. Cancel all dialog boxes
and close the Control Panel.
If it is checked, uncheck it, click OK, and then click OK again.
Close the Control Panel.
========================================================================
Peter Trueman, Information Technology Manager,
Academic Division of Science and Design,
University of Canberra, Australia.
Phone: +612 6201 2092, Fax: +612 6201 5030
=============================================
"And the honour and distinction of the individual consist in this,
that he among all the world's multitudes should become a source
of social good."
- Baha'i Writings
|