Microsoft Word macro viruses can play hob with your Word files, but it can't
attack the rest of the system. There are free virus scanners that should be
used on suspicious attachments. Or for that matter, on some not so
suspicious--a recent candidate for a position at UI sent their resume as an
attachment. Unfortunately, it containied a macro virus, and was spread to the
entire search committee, not the impression one wants to make.
Before passing on a warning chain letter, check with the International Computer
Security Association web site (www.ncsa.com), or do an internet search using
Alta Vista or one of the other search engines. Most of these virus warnings and
other chain letter hoaxes just go round and round, again and again.
Sam Scripter wrote:
> Saturday, 1-28-98
>
> John Teeter, I hope you read this and can answer my question. Or maybe
> someone else on the list knows.
>
> I get so tired of these mass virus warnings that go around, that are flukes,
> that are false.
>
> But they always get me worried that maybe there is something new that I
> don't know. They raise enough doubt in my mind that I have to ask.
>
> That below asserts that by reading one's mail a "Trojan horse" virus will be
> introduced into the boot sector of one's hard drive, and wipe it out.
>
> I thought that was not possible, just by reading one's mail!!!???
>
> But what if the "mail" is a MS Word file, attached, and one opens the Word
> file attachment, and it contains whatever a Word virus is called?
>
> Can someone with expertise resolve my concern?
>
> Thank you in advance ....
>
> MoscowSam
> scripter@uidaho.edu
>
> >>> WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!!
> >>>
> >>> If you receive an e-mail titled "JOIN THE CREW" DO NOT
> >>> OPEN IT! It will erase EVERYTHING on your hard drive. Send this
> >>> letter out to as many people you can....this is a new virus and not
> >>> many people know about it.
> >>>
> >>> This information was received this morning from an employee from
> IBM,
> >>> and should be shared with anyone that might access the internet.
> >>>
> >>> Also, if anyone received mail entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" delete it
> >>> WITHOUT reading it. This is a warning for all internet users. This
> is
> >>>
> >>> a dangerous virus propagating across the internet through e-mail
> >>> message. DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY MESSAGES CALLED "PENPAL GREETINGS!".
> >>>
> >>> This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are
> >>> interested in a penpal, but by the time you read this letter, it is
> >>> too late. The trojan horse virus will have already infected the
> boot
> >>> sector of your hard drive, destroying all of the data present. It
> is
> >>> a self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
> >>> automatically forward itself to anyone's e-mail address present in
> >>> YOUR mailbox.
> >>>
> >>> This virus will DESTROY your hard drive and holds potential to
> destroy
> >>>
> >>> the hard drive of anyone else in your in-box and who's mail is in
> >>> their in-box and so on. If this virus keeps getting passed along,
> it
> >>> has the potential to do a great deal of damage to computer networks
> >>> worldwide!
> >>>
> >>> DELETE the message entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" as soon as you see
> it
> >>> and pass it along to your friends, relatives, and other readers of
> the
> >>>
> >>> newsgroups and mailing lists which you are on so that they are not
> >>> hurt by the virus. This virus IS A NEW VIRUS that has started going
> >>> around in the last couple of days. DO NOT OPEN or even look at any
> >>> mail that you get that says - "Returned or Unable to Deliver". This
> >>> virus will attach itself to our computer components and render them
> >>> useless. Immediately delete any mail items that says this.
> >>>
> >>> AOL has said this is a very dangerous virus, and there is NO remedy
> >>> for it at this time. This message should be forwarded to every
> single
> >>>
> >>> person you know.
-- Ron Force rforce@belle.lib.uidaho.edu Dean of Library Services University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83844 (208) 885-6534