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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

This is an Auto Response to all Messages that Do Not Contain something in the Subject Line of e-mails sent to Me.

This is an Auto Response to all Messages that Do Not Contain something in the Subject Line of e-mails sent to Me. Well, Actually, while writing this... I realized that Automatically Replying to Any e-mail address that sends me a Message with a Blank Subject Line would be a Security Risk to Me. Confirming that they have indeed found a real e-mail address that they can us for their Spamming and with all of the links that I put in here to my Blog. And the Header information in the Reply would just help them in doing me some Actual Harm... So, I'll just be using this as a Template for Replying to People I know and keep getting these Spam e-mails from. So, If you actually know me and just forgot to put something in the Subject Field of the e-mail you sent. I know I forget to do this sometimes... Please Re-Send it with something in the Subject to let me know that this e-mail is from a friend. Because all e-mails coming into my In-Box with a Blank Subject Line, automatically go Directly to my Spam Folder and I most likely wont ever see it. There has Been a Rash of Spam Coming my way, from Computers infected by a Virus, Trojan, Rootkit, Worm or maybe just from Spammers who Harvested e-mail Addresses from the Internet. So, I setup a Mail Filter to Cut down on my Aggravation with all of this Spam e-mail and the Potentially Dangerous Links or Code being sent to my Computer in them. Here's some info to help you with this Problem. If you are a Real Person who actually Cares, that is...

Don

Why is this Important? Here's one good reason...

Microsoft Proposes Each PC Needs A Health Certificate or No Net Access Allowed

Microsoft has proposed a plan that each PC would be required to present a "health certificate" or else be considered too sick to connect to the Internet.

By Ms. Smith on Wed, 10/06/10 - 6:21pm.

Many security experts have talked about quarantining infected computers, but Microsoft has proposed a plan that each PC would be required to present a "health certificate" or else be considered too sick to connect to the Internet.

Scott Charney, Microsoft’s vice president of trustworthy computing, presented his idea of "implementing a global collective defense of Internet health much like what we see in place today in the world of public health... Just as when an individual who is not vaccinated puts others’ health at risk, computers that are not protected or have been compromised with a bot put others at risk and pose a greater threat to society. In the physical world, international, national, and local health organizations identify, track and control the spread of disease which can include, where necessary, quarantining people to avoid the infection of others."

Charney gave his speech at the International Security Solutions Europe (ISSE) Conference in Berlin, Germany, and posted his "vision" on his blog. Other countries like Australia and the Netherlands are attempting similar security models; Charney uses examples like France’s Signal Spam or Japan’s Cyber Clean Center as cyber models to keep only healthy computers online.

Comparing the proposal to a global collective defense for health is not necessarily comforting. How many older computers would be digitally quarantined for false positives? Think back a year to the H1N1 hysteria in which unvaccinated persons were a threat to everyone's good health. If a computer cannot issue a "health certificate" and is cut off the Internet, wouldn't that be similar to not allowing a sick person transportation to a doctor's office? How does the sick computer get well without the tools or "medicine" available at Dr. Net?

Should ISPs like Comcast be responsible for cyber-patrolling and sending out bot-notifications to all its customers? Krebs on Security reported that the FCC may encourage ISPs to be more proactive in cleaning up bot infected computers. How does an entity go about it, by throwing scareware warnings on startup screens or simply no Net access? Does this lead to downloading software to monitor PC health? This could very well be a disaster, as it would be way too easy to abuse. An ISP could decide a computer was sick and couldn't connect to the Net if that computer uses too much bandwidth. I've seen domains be shutdown as hosts insisted they were under DDoS attacks . . . but the reality of the situation was Slashdotting or the Digg effect. That may be close, but the intent was not malicious.

Graham Cluely, of security firm Sophos, told BBC, "Microsoft doesn't have a faultless record when it comes to security. It has improved over the years, but every month they have to release a package of updates. There may be some who would say that Microsoft shouldn't be on the internet until they get their own house in order."

Whose software gets access to your data to scan your computer for good health? Who decides who gets to play doctor and peek under the sheet? Violating privacy and civil liberties by installing a possible backdoor? Microsoft Security Essentials is not a bad product, but hello? C'mon Microsoft! Harden your OS or ban Windows from the Net since that is where botnets, viruses, trojans and malware thrive.

Microsoft plans to advocate for legislation and policies to help advance the model in a way that "advances principles supporting user control and privacy." However, unless there is a giant collective NO to more privacy and freedom violations, online regulations and cyber-patrols may inevitably open users up to more surveillance by authorities.

Charney wrote, "Privacy concerns must be carefully considered in any effort to promote Internet security by focusing on device health. In that regard, examining health is not the same as examining content; communicating health is not the same as communicating identity; and consumers can be protected in privacy-centric ways that do not adversely impact freedom of expression and freedom of association."

What do you think of Microsoft's proposal that if a computer is not well enough to be issued a health certificate, then it's no Internet access for that PC? Is this the answer to clean up botnets or an invitation to Big Brother?

Like this? Check out these other posts:

Follow me on Twitter @PrivacyFanatic


Go there...
http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/microsoft-proposes-each-pc-needs-health-certi

Well, I for one, am a little worried about this trend into thinking this way. For all of the reasons mentioned in this article. And also because I see this as another way for MS to try and Shut Down all Free and Open Source Linux Operating Systems. Along with the Freedom and Emerging Technology Advances in Software that We Linux users are enjoying Now and Will the Future!:O Why? You ask... Because of what I see with all of the Resistance to making their Web and Media Content work in Linux. That and the Buddy System they seem to have going with Adobe's Flash and Sun's Java Jre to some extent as well. This is the only Real Pain in the Side of Linux Users now... And one major hurdle for new Linux users, who may just turn back or not even try Linux because of having to manually install and Update or having no support at all for this Media on the Web. When they find out what a pain it is to get and keep their Systems Compatible with this Media, by adhering to their "Minimum System Requirements". And this is where I see the PC Vaccination Program Targeting Linux... Because already, this Media is something that most Web users want and may even need, because of the Way Web Sites are Set-up these days and it is Held Back from Linux users in many ways. It hasn't stopped me though... I have been running Linux for over 5 years now as my main Operating Systems and never want to turn back! But, I do enjoy learning and tweaking my Systems and most people don't. I know that something needs to be done to Protect us all from all of this Malware, Viruses, Trojans, Rootkits and Worms Constantly Attacking our Computers. And I know that allot of People around the World are Clueless about Viruses and Computer Security and wont take the time to learn. But, giving this kind of Power to anyone other than the Owner of the Computer and more importantly... Their own Personal Data on that Computer wold be Very, Very Dangerous for the Security of Everyone in Many Ways. More So, than it is now, I Believe. I think that if Microsoft and the Other Big Software Companies would use some of their Charity Donations to Support Free and Open Source AntiVirus and Security Firewall Software making it even more Freely available and Easy to Use. Along with Computer Security Education Programs... We could all be allot Safer Online and allot Sooner. A Whole Lot Sooner than if they keep on trying to fight Freedom in Computing and Open Source Software. This would also help to Raise the Very Tarnished Images of these Companies and Gain Some Trust for these Companies with their Customers... I have managed to keep my my Linux Systems much safer than the previous 7 years of running Windows Systems, because of the Free and Open Source Operating Systems and Software Available now. But, I had to do allot of Learning. With only 2 suspected infections of my Linux Systems over the past 5 years. Much better than when I ran Windows OS's, where Virus infections became so common, that I lost count over the my 7 years with Windows XP OS's. My Win XP System is down right now and won't even Boot due to my letting Microsoft Security Software "Clean" that System. I had my Win XP machine set up to where I could watch Videos on the Net on my TV and I just bought a new HD TV Tuner, so I could Record my favorite TV Shows on the Computer. But I crashed it by deleting some files that a Microsoft Online Virus Scanner said were Root Kit's!:O No other Virus scanner reported that anything was there at all. I did several Boot Time Scans on it with Avast and a couple more Virus Scanners. I can't remember which ones now, but probably ClamAV and Comodo and maybe another Online Scanner too. But I wanted to be safe... What a mistake! Trusting MS!:O I've already Restored the OS with the install CD twice. Which I have done many times in the Past with other Infections and Quite Successfully. But it still wont even show the Desktop. Just sets there black after it gives 2 errors saying that services and lsass.exe can't be found:( They are there though. I have already Restored the Registry several times to different backups that I keep. And even Manually Edited the Registry according to Microsoft's instructions on their web site for recovering from the Sassor Rootkit Virus. But these errors still Persist!:O Now I will have to spend more time figuring that out... I wouldn't even mess with XP, but I like the games on that system and my new HD TV Tuner doesn't have any Linux Drivers written for it... It was a Bargain Deal and I should have known better than to buy one that didn't say it was Linux Compatible!:o I figured I would be able to find a Linux Driver, but I didn't check ahead to time... But, Don't hold your Breath, MS! I wont be "upgrading" to Win 7 or any other Windows OS... any time soon!

If you would like to Upgrade your Windows Operating System to one of the Great Free and Open Source Linux OS's. E-mail me and I will point you in the right direction and help you Pic an OS that is best for you and your Computer...

Don

Microsoft Proposes PC Health Certificate for Internet Access
pc health cert - Google Search
Privacy and Security Fanatic: Microsoft Proposes Each PC Needs A Health Certificate or No Net Access Allowed | Network World
[H]ard|OCP - No PC Health Certificate, No Internet

If you don't have very good Antivirus and Firewall Software on all of the Computers in your Home or Office and all Computers on your Network. You really do need to get some now...

Comodo Internet Security is very highly rated and free. I have tried this software out on a Win XP System and it is easy to use and has been rated tops in Security and Features by several On-line Reviewers.

Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo

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Go there...
http://www.comodo.com/products/free-products.php?entryURL=

Read more on my Blog...
http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2010/04/free-desktop-pc-security-free-downloads.html

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

This is an update of the previous article from 10-09...

Don

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

Last Update: Sat, 02/06/2010 - 00:54 — ako
Introduction

Motto: Si vis pacem, para bellum.

This outstanding list has been compiled by one of our senior security editors, Antti Koponen.  The products are listed with the best free products first (non-free products are always at the bottom of each category), as judged by Antti. Antti's current choices for real-time protection on his XP desktop and Vista laptop have been marked with ►. Other noteworthy products used by Antti have been marked with ♦, and Antti's favourite malware detection/removal tools with ⇒.

The products are almost exclusively free with some exceptions:

(a) Products where there is no free alternative

(b) Good products that offer a lifetime license

(c) Exceptional products

 If you think this list has too many options to choose from,  try Gizmo's Security Advice Wizard.
Read more on my Blog...
http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2010/02/probably-best-free-security-list-in.html

These are the Online Virus Scanning Sites that I used to Scan the Files you sent me.
They use several Virus Apps at one time to scan the files you upload to their Servers. You can use these for files up to 20 megabytes in size. You have to upload the files one at a time. Just use the "Browse" Button or click in the Blank Space. Then when the file folder window opens up, find your file on your computer and then hit "Submit File". If it says, "this file has already been uploaded", then I would go ahead and select "Scan Again" to make sure you file is clean. They are referring to that file name in general, because this could save you some time, if you have downloaded a file from a popular download site with Programs and the like. But this doesn't take long with documents and other small files. It only took a short time, less than 20 seconds to upload a 15 megabyte file with my ISP Charter High Speed Cable Internet, which is 13mbps (a pretty fast connection). If you have DSL (I'm sure you aren't using a Dial-up Connection) it may take a little longer, but you probably wont notice with small Documents and such.

VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines!

If you Suspect that you have a Virus Infected File or Sometimes when you scan your computer for viruses, there can be a "false positive" reported on a file or files. If you have reason to suspect a false positive, here are some web sites that you can upload the suspected infected file and have it scanned to see what other Viruses Scanners Report on it. Don't forget to make a note of the files location in your system or copy and paste the location of the file from your Virus Scan Report into the web sites browse box. I noticed that pasting didn't always work in the browse box, so you may just want to paste the files location into an e-mail or document for your own reference.

Here they are...

VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines!

VirSCAN.org is a FREE on-line scan service, which checks uploaded files for malware, using antivirus engines, indicated in the VirSCAN list. On uploading files you want to be checked, you can see the result of scanning and how dangerous and harmful/harmless for your computer those files are.

Go here to Scan your Files for Viruses... http://www.virscan.org/

This service is by no means 100% safe. If this scanner says 'OK', it does not necessarily mean the file is clean. There could be a whole new virus on the loose. NEVER rely on one single product only, not even this service, even though it utilizes several products. Therefore, We cannot and will not be held responsible for any damage caused by results presented by this non-profit online service.

Scanning can take a while, since several scanners are being used, plus the fact some scanners use very high levels of (time consuming) heuristics. Scanners used are Linux versions, differences with Windows scanners may or may not occur. Some scanners will only report one virus when scanning archives with multiple pieces of malware.

Virus definitions are updated every hour. There is a 10Mb limit per file. Please refrain from uploading tons of hex-edited or repacked variants of the same sample.

Please do not ask for viruses uploaded here, unless you work for an anti-virus vendor. They are not for trade. This is a legitimate service, not a VX site. Viruses uploaded here will be distributed to antivirus vendors without exception. Read more about this in our privacy policy. If you do not want your files to be distributed, please do not send them at all.

Sponsored by HotelScraper.com.

Go here to Scan your Files for Viruses... http://virusscan.jotti.org/

Read more on my blog...
http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2009/04/virscanorg-free-multi-engine-online.html

Hope these links help...

If you suspect that your Computer is infected and it Definitely is, if it is sending out the Spam e-mails all on it's own... And you haven't already, done a Boot Time Scan of your whole System. Then you need to do one and let help you clean up your System. Most all Viruses can hide while Windows is Running. I don't have a running Windows System right now, so I can't tell you how to do this with Comodo Antivirus. But, I do remember that Comodo will do it. Look around the menus in the Program and see if you can find something that says Boot Scan or something to that effect. Set it and Reboot your computer or let Comodo Reboot for you. Then, let it run all the way through, even if it takes several hours. It shouldn't take but about 30 min to 1 hour, unless you have allot of data (like me, I have 200GB, 250GB, 320GB and a 1TB HD). It takes 6 to 8 hours to scan the 250GB HD since it is almost full. Be very careful with the settings on a Boot Time Scan. You Should Not let the Program Move or Delete any System Files to the Virus Chest or what ever Comodo calls it (Avast Calls it the Virus Chest). Set the Scan Options to "Ask" Before moving or deleting any System Files to the Chest. Regular file are ok to Move or Delete. It's safest to move all Files, other than System Files to the Chest, just to make sure they can be recovered if you find that you later need them and they are not actually infected. There is a thing called a "False Positive" which happens with all Antivirus Software at one time or another. That's why I always scan at least twice with two different Antivirus Apps. Now, some Antivirus Apps will fight with each other and think that the Virus Definitions in the other Antivirus Program is a Real Virus. That's why you shouldn't leave two Antivirus Programs on your System. But Comodo And Avast usually Play nice with each other. So, for the purposes of Cleaning up an infected System. I install them both and then delete one of them when I'm done with my Cleaning. Anyway, if your Antivirus Program moves the wrong System file to the Chest, your Computer most likely Will Not Boot again until you Replace those Files. And that is hard to do with out Windows Running. My Win XP System is down right now because I let Microsoft Security Essentials Program Delete some of my System Files... I thought I would just be able to run the Win XP Install CD in Repair Mode and fix it, like I have many times before. But, no suck luck!:( The Registry is looking for some of the Deleted files that actually, from what I understand were the actual Rootkit Virus files that were on the System. I have tried on and off for months to fix it, even manually editing the Registry, according to the info on the Microsoft Site. So, even though Microsoft Security Essential is rated well and there is allot about it being good on the Internet. I wouldn't recommend it. Man I'm glad I Run Linux on my main Computers! And don't depend on WindBlows for anything Important!:O If you have no luck with a Comodo Boot Time Scan. Then you could try Avast. I have instructions on how to Get Avast and Run an Avast Boot Time Scan on my Blog. Here's the links...

Avast! AntiVirus For Both Window and Linux Home Edition

http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2009/12/avast-antivirus-for-both-window-and.html

Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC...

http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2008/11/setting-up-avast-antivirus-to-protect.html

If I didn't already send you this....

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

This is an update of the previous article from 10-09...
http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2010/02/probably-best-free-security-list-in.html

Free Antivirus for Windows - Open source GPL virus scanner

This is very good Antivirus Software and it is Free and Open Source. I us it in my Linux Systems. I has versions for Windblows OS's too. It would be good for a second scanner to double check your scans done with with others, like my favorites, Avast and Comodo Antivirus. It Dose not Have a Real Time (automatic always on scanner). So, I wouldn't depend on it for my only protection in Windows OS's...
http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/2010/11/free-antivirus-for-windows-open-source.html

There are Viruses, Trojans, Worms and Rootkits, that can infect a Linux OS (Operating Systems). And I was hit by one once back when I was running Fedora 7 and that was a few years ago. So, needless to say, I think it would be very wise to Install and run a good Antivirus Program on your Linux OS. Especially on all Files you Download and your E-mails. It takes just a few minutes to Scan your home directory (the one with your personal System files and Apps). I Run Fedora and Debian (Not the Ubuntu Remix) with both the Gnome and KDE Desktops installed. because I like many Apps that need KDE to run. But I prefer Gnome for its layout, with your running apps at the bottom and app shortcuts and system menus at the top. I do all of my work in Gnome. I use ClamAV with the KlamAV GUI control App, because the KlamAV GUI is easier to use and has more features than the plain ClamAV GUI. The only draw back to ClamAV is that it is hard to setup the Automatic Scanning feature in Fedora. You have to manually install an app called 'dazuko' first. This module will allow KlamAV to gain real-time access to files. Dazuko has to run in the kernel and I haven't figured out how to install that one yet. See, ClamAV and it's GUI user interface KlamAV needs Dazuko to Run Auto Scans. I just ran a scan on my home directory with KlamAV GUI for ClamAV and this reminded me to mention. ClamAV will almost always report some suspected infected files. So, you will have to be an informed user and be familiar with the types of files on your computer. It reports encrypted heuristics.broken.executable files as viruses/problems found. Allot of windows "install.exe" files. For instance I have Comodo Anti Virus in my Downloads Directory which is a very good and rated number one Anti Virus by many Reviewers this year. It has some pieces of Viruses in it's directory's as samples, just as all Antivirus Apps do. This is nothing to worry about. So you can ignore this, as long as you know that you downloaded your "install.exe" file from a safe and reputable site. Not that Reputable sites can't get infected by some Hacker somewhere. I happens every day. You will have to use your own judgment when reading the results from a ClamAV Virus Scan. This will happen with allot of Linux System files too and I have found that these can safely be ignored too. Unless you have some reason to believe that your Linux OS has been infected, that is. Also, I learned this the hard way. Set ClamAV to "Just Report" when you do a scan of your System Files and don't run it with "root (admin) privileges". I broke a band new Fedora 12 System beyond repair by running ClamAV with "root privileges" and by setting it to automatically "Quarantine files" that are suspected to have a virus/problem!:O You wont be able to scan many files outside of your home directory in regular user mode. But that's really ok most of the time because you can scan your e-mail and all of your own personal files and downloads folders. If you suspect that you really have an infected Linux OS. Then it will Probably be easier to just Reformat your OS and restore your Personal Files and Favorite Apps from a Backup. You Do Backup Right? 7 Best Free/Open-source Backup Software for Linux | TechSource The thing is, No Internet (Network) Connected Computer or one that is accessible to Removable Media (CD's DVD's USB, Storage Media of any type) is impervious to Infection. I use to use Avast Antivirus in both Windows and Linux. But since Fedora 12, Avast gets errors and doesn't work right in Fedora 12 or 13 so far. It worked great in Fedora 7 to 11 though. As, the Viruses, Worms, Trojans and Rootkits begin to be able to infect more OS's. Linux users will have to have Real Time Virus Scanning or we will be in the same Boat as the Windows users, Infected, Spreading Viruses and not even knowing it!:O Here are some links to some info I have found on Viruses and Computer Security... 

New Kneber Botnet Tied To 75 000 Systems New Kneber Botnet Tied To 75,000 Systems. Doug Caverly Staff Writer 2010-02-18 Insider Reports RSS Feed This may turn into an unplug-your-computer-and-pay-for-everything-with-cash kind of day for some security experts. NetWitness announced this morning that it's discovered a new ZeuS botnet affecting 75,000 systems in 2,500 organizations. Social networks, financial systems, and government organizations are all thought to have been compromised. In a formal statement, NetWitness explained how it originally came across the problem, indicating that it "first discovered the Kneber botnet in January during a routine deployment of the NetWitness advanced monitoring solutions."

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World This is an update of the previous article from 10-09... Don

About ClamAV®Clam AntiVirus is an open source (GPL) anti-virus toolkit for UNIX, designed especially for e-mail scanning on mail gateways. It provides a number of utilities including a flexible and scalable multi-threaded daemon, a command line scanner and advanced tool for automatic database updates. The core of the package is an anti-virus engine available in a form of shared library.(Read more...)

About ClamWin Free Antivirus ClamWin is a Free Antivirus program for Microsoft Windows 7 / Vista / XP / Me / 2000 / 98 and Windows Server 2008 and 2003. ClamWin Free Antivirus is used by more than 600,000 users worldwide on a daily basis. It comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge. It features:
  • High detection rates for viruses and spyware;
  • Scanning Scheduler;
  • Automatic downloads of regularly updated Virus Database.
  • Standalone virus scanner and right-click menu integration to Microsoft Windows Explorer;
  • Addin to Microsoft Outlook to remove virus-infected attachments automatically.
Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo Comodo Internet Security. I have tried this software out on a Win XP System and it is easy to use and has been rated tops in Security and Features by several On-line Reviewers... Don Complete protection against viruses and Internet attacks for Windows computers. Features: All-in-one Firewall & Antivirus, Defends your PC from Internet attacks, Detects and eliminates viruses, Prevents malware from being installed, Easy to install, configure and use, Free to both business and home users, Price: 100% Free, Free Download

Or Download Comodo System-Cleaner Download Comodo System-Cleaner. Download the Portable Version: Windows 7 / XP / Vista 32 bit (4.95 MB) Windows 7 / XP / Vista 64 bit (4.76 MB) Product Selection Wizard Find the Comodo product that best fits your needs or...http://www.comodo.com/home/download/download.php?prod=system-cleaner For operating systems: Windows 7 / XP / Vista / Win 2003 System Requirements: Windows 7 / XP / Vista / 2003 Server, 32 MB RAM, 20 MB Disk Space

Avast! AntiVirus For Both Window and Linux Home Edition I have used Avast for several years on both Windows and Linux OS's. It was my favorite Anti Virus Software. But now it does Not have all the features it use to in the Free Addition. Still, it is highly rated and very good Antivirus Software... Don

Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC... Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC... Don

Best Free Rootkit Scanner/Remover

M86 Security Finds URL Filters Anti Virus Scanners Ineffective

Jotti's malware scan There are times when a file may come up showing as infected with a Virus
in your Virus Scanner, but you may have a reason to think that it really
is not infected. This is called a False Positive.

VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines! Sometimes when you scan your computer for viruses, there can be a "false positive" reported on a file or files

The first Linux botnet? | ITworld The first Linux botnet?... In one word: "Nah."

Viruses now penetrating deeper | Tech News on ZDNet Well, with these new Viruses that get into your MBR (Master Boot Record). You probably wont even know when you get one.

PC Hell: Free RootKit Removal Tools and Software Rootkit Removal Tools and Help What are Rootkits?

Trinityhome : New TRK 3.4: easier than ever before New TRK 3.4 Free CD ISO Download: easier than ever before. Monday, August 16, 2010 Big news from the Trinity Rescue Kit camp: an all new version of the live distro has just been published after almost a year of (public) silence.

Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? - PCWorld Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? Linux has a reputation for being virus- and spyware-free, but you might want to add a little insurance.

Facebook Users Targeted By Fake Virus Alert Facebook Users Targeted By Fake Virus Alert. Mike Sachoff Staff Writer 2010-01-28 PandaLabs said today it has detected the massive spread of a fake virus alert that targets Facebook users. The company said it is another attempt by cybercriminals to infect users with fake antivirus programs. The fake warning is being distributed by email and users are forwarding it or publishing it on Facebook walls, further spreading the hoax. The text of the fake warning reads...

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | BBC team exposes cyber crime risk BBC team exposes cyber crime risk Spencer Kelly looks at how hackers use hijacked home PCs to send out millions of spam e-mails. Software used to control thousands of home computers has been acquired online by the BBC as part of an investigation into global cyber crime.

Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic. Jason Lee Miller, Staff Writer, 2009-01-22. SecurityProNews: Insider Reports Insider Reports

Virus strikes 15 million PCs - UPI.com Virus strikes 15 million PCs. Published: Jan. 25, 2009 at 5:56 PM Order reprints  |  Feedback LONDON, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A virulent computer virus has infected more than 15 million computers around the world so far, British experts say. The Independent on Sunday reported that the worm -- known as Downadup, Conficker or Kido -- had contaminated 6 million PCs in the past three days alone. (This was in 2009, so who knows how many Computers are Infected Now!)... Don

Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam. By Brian Prince 2009-04-09. An updated version of the Conficker worm is installing malware that attempts to lure people into buying rogue anti-virus. Security researchers also say the worm is downloading malware tied to the notorious Waledac botnet.

Computer virus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Computer virus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with Malware. A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself[1] and infect a computer. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability. A true virus can spread from one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive. Viruses can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. As stated above, the term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, even those that do not have the reproductive ability. Malware includes computer viruses, computer worms, Trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware and other malicious and unwanted software, including true viruses. Viruses are sometimes confused with worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks, while a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Worms and Trojan horses, like viruses, may harm a computer system's data or performance. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious or simply do nothing to call attention to themselves. Some viruses do nothing beyond reproducing themselves.

Trojan horse (computing) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Beast, a Windows-based backdoor Trojan horse. A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is malware that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install but instead facilitates unauthorized access of the user's computer system. "It is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate. Users are typically tricked into loading and executing it on their systems", as Cisco describes.[1] The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology.

Computer worm From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Morris Worm source code disk at the Computer History Museum. A computer worm is a self-replicating malware computer program. It uses a computer network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. This is due to security shortcomings on the target computer. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network, if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.

Rootkit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer, while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications. Typically, an attacker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining root-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once a rootkit is installed, it allows an attacker to mask the active intrusion and to gain privileged access to a computer by circumventing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. Although rootkits can serve a variety of ends, they have gained notoriety primarily as malware, appropriating computing resources or stealing passwords without the knowledge of administrators and users of affected systems. Rootkits can target firmware, a hypervisor, the kernel or, most commonly, user-mode applications. The term rootkit is a concatenation of the "root" user account in Unix operating systems and the word "kit", which refers to the software components that implement the tool. The term has negative connotations through its association with malware.

Here's the links from this Article and a few more....

Best Free open source Backup Software Search on DonsDeals Blog
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DonsDeals: Simple Linux Backup Software How to...
DonsDeals: Update 07-17-2010 to... Probably the Best Free Security List in the World
For more info on many things, Linux and Windows...  go to my Blog at http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/ and use the Big Search Window at the Top Middle to find what I have already found and put together on my Blog... Don

Virus info Linux and Windows
A Tale of Two Computers « Linux Canuck's Weblog
Linux Today - Mass resignations from OpenOffice.org
Google Docs will soon have third party apps, cloud printing and sync
trinity - Google Search
DonsDeals: BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | BBC team exposes cyber crime risk
DonsDeals: Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam
DonsDeals: Jotti's malware scan
DonsDeals: Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? - PCWorld
DonsDeals: Immunet v2 update on the way: adds multi-engine malware and virus scanning to cloud-powered core
DonsDeals: The first Linux botnet? | ITworld
DonsDeals: PC Hell: Free RootKit Removal Tools and Software
DonsDeals: Trinityhome : New TRK 3.4: easier than ever before
DonsDeals: Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic
DonsDeals: Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC...
DonsDeals: VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines!
DonsDeals: M86 Security Finds URL Filters Anti Virus Scanners Ineffective
DonsDeals: Probably the Best Free Security List in the World
DonsDeals: Re: Viruses now penetrating deeper | Tech News on ZDNet
DonsDeals: Avast! AntiVirus For Both Window and Linux Home Edition
remove sasser virus - Google Search
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DonsDeals: Best Free Rootkit Scanner/Remover
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Clam AntiVirus
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Free Antivirus for Windows - Open source GPL virus scanner
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DonsDeals: Download Comodo System-Cleaner
DonsDeals: Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo
DonsDeals: Free Desktop PC Security - Free Downloads Keep your PC Safe | Comodo
Trojans - Google Search
Trojan horse (computing) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
worms computer - Google Search
Computer worm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
rootkits computer - Google Search
How to Detect Rootkits on a Computer | eHow.com
Rootkit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
trojans computer - Google Search
Trojan - Trojans and Viruses in Computer Networking
Download System-Cleaner
Comodo - Google Search
Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo
DonsDeals: There are Viruses, Trojans, Worms and Rootkits, that can infect a Linux OS
DonsDeals: Probably the best free security list in the world
Remote PC through VPN Access - Secure Remote Access | Comodo
News | VirusBlokAda
crafted.win32file.ols - Google Search
Virus Hoaxes in E-Mails...

The Virus Hoax E-mail that I Received Recently...

On 12/03/2010 11:01 AM, Janet wrote:


Janet
--- On Fri, 12/3/10, Sallie wrote:

From: Sallie Hughes
Subject: Fwd: Virus Notice
To: A Very long List of E-Mail address was here and I deleted them for the peoples Privacy... 
Date: Friday, December 3, 2010, 8:34 AM



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anita
Date: Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 11:14 PM
Subject: Virus Notice
To: Anita





Virus Notice

VIRUS COMING !


Hi All,


I checked with Norton Anti-Virus, and they are gearing up for this virus!


I checked Snopes, and it is for real. Get this E-mail message sent around to your contacts ASAP.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS!


You should be alert during the next few days. Do not open any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK,'regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer.


This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to
receive the virus and open it.


If you receive a mail called 'POSTCARD,' even though sent to you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately. This is the worst virus announced by CNN.


It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for
this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.

I could tell by the way this one read, that it was most likely a Hoax and it is... It's usually pretty easy to figure out wether or not one of these e-mails is a Hoax buy just searching on Google.com for a prase or sentence in the email. Usually the Title will work well. Beware, that sometimes the Forwards can contain Viruses, Trojans, Rootkits or Malware in Images or attachments or Links in the E-Mail that Appear to be Legitimate, can be "Spoofed" and actually Point to a Site that can infect Computer Systems by just going to the Site by Clicking on the Link. It's best to just Ignore these Forwards, unless you can Verify the information and make sure any links, images or attachments are Clean. At the very least, you are opening up yourself and all of your e-mail Buddies to having there e-mail addresses Harvested and used by Spammers, when you send to several people and allow their e-mail addresses to show in the Body of the Forward. Using Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy) will help some in protecting your friends e-mail addresses. I know, it's a pain... but your friends nor you may never know how much trouble you have saved them, by simply using Bcc: instead of just plain old To: Here's more info and Links on these kinds of e-mails...

Don

How to force BCC to show up in e-mail Programs and How to Use Bcc
bcc - Google Search
how to force BCC to show up in e-mail - Google Search
force BCC to show up - Google Search
To,cc or Bcc
A hoax. The Postcard from Hallmark virus hoax is a knock-off on the old A Virtual Card for You hoax. It contains many telltale signs of a virus hoax. The Postcard from Hallmark hoax includes a link to a Snopes article which is worded in such a way that it appears the hoax warning is legitimate. It isn't. While greeting card scams do exist, they don't bear any resemblance to what's outlined in the hoax. Following is one example of the Postcard from Hallmark virus hoax:
Example of hoax email:
Read More...
http://antivirus.about.com/od/emailhoaxes/p/postcard.htm

Postcard' or 'Postcard from Hallmark' Virus Hoax

Netlore Archive: False email alert warns of 'the worst virus ever' circulating in the form of an attachment labeled 'POSTCARD' or 'POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK.'

Description: Email hoax
Circulating since: Feb. 2008 (this version)
Status: False, though real e-card viruses do exist

NOTE: Some versions of this hoax claim the information was "verified" on Snopes.com. This is NOT true. What has been verified on Snopes.com is a different e-card virus threat with a similar name.

DO beware of phony "Hallmark" (or other) e-card notices — they may indeed carry a real virus.

DON'T be confused by the false descriptions in the messages quoted below.

Analysis follows.


Example #1:
Email text contributed by Caroline O., June 13, 2008:

Subject: VERY IMPORTANT - BIG VIRUS COMING!!! PLEASE READ & FORWARD !!!

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp

Hi All, I checked Snopes (URL above:), and it is for real!!

Get this E-mail message sent around to your contacts ASAP.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS!

You should be alert during the next few days. Do not open any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK,' regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this e-mail to all your contacts It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

If you receive a mail called' POSTCARD,' even though sent to you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN. It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.

COPY THIS E-MAIL, AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS. REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US

Snopes lists all the names it could come in.


Example #2:
Email text contributed by Jenifer B., Feb. 9, 2008:

PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS!

You should be alert during the next few days. Do not open any message with an attachment entitled "POSTCARD," regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to send this e-mail to all your contacts.

If you receive a mail called" POSTCARD," even though sent to you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN. It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Drive.


Analysis: With so many real viruses in circulation bearing names almost identical to the bogus threats you may read about in hoax messages, it's crucial to know how to distinguish between the real virus threats and the fake ones.

Here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. It's true that there are real viruses, trojans, and other malicious programs currently being distributed by means of fake e-card notices.

These malware-containing emails may arrive under any of dozens of possible headers, for example:

• You've received a Hallmark E-Card!
• You've received a postcard from a family member!
• Colleague sent you a postcard from egreetings.com!
• Birthday e-card

Unfortunately, these do resemble legitimate notices from e-card providers. This means every user needs to be very careful when dealing with such emails, no matter what the apparent source. Before clicking on any links or attachments in the body of such a message, check to see if you can verify that it came from a legitimate source — and that isn't always easy. If you can't verify, don't click!

Don't click on links or attachments in e-card notices that arrive anonymously, or from senders whose names you don't recognize.

Don't click on attachments or links that seem suspicious in any other way.

2. Generally speaking, forwarded email warnings such as the 'POSTCARD' alerts above cannot be trusted to provide accurate information.

Read carefully! Try not to confuse hoax warnings with the real thing. Bogus virus alerts often contain links to websites which, at first glance, may seem to confirm the authenticity of the message, but which in fact discuss a completely different matter.

The very message we're discussing happens to be a case in point. Despite the fact that there are real e-card viruses out there, the "POSTCARD" warning above is, in fact, a hoax. It is simply the newest of many variants of a false alert that began circulating several years ago (compare the texts and you'll see what I mean).

Therefore, don't depend on this type of alert for protection, and avoid forwarding such messages to others unless you can confirm with some certainty that the threat they describe is real.

3. Protecting yourself from real virus and Trojan threats entails a few simple but critical measures. Follow them religiously:

  1. Always be very careful concerning which attachments you open and which files you download. If you can't be reasonably sure they are safe, don't open or download them.
  2. Maintain up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, configure it to detect Trojan horses and other malware automatically, and scan for viruses and other threats regularly.
  3. Always be careful concerning which links you choose to click, especially in messages from anonymous or unfamiliar sources. Clicking on these links can instantly download malicious software onto your computer. Again, if you can't be reasonably sure a link is safe, don't click on it.

See also: "Olympic Torch" Virus Warning, another version of this hoax.


Share This Article


Sources and further reading:

FBI: E-Valentines May Not Be So Sweet
UPI, 12 February 2008

Hoax Encyclopedia: A Virtual Card for You
"Hoaxes are a waste of both time and money. Please don't forward them on to others."

Computer Virus Hoaxes
Index and resources from About.com


Last updated: 11/17/10

Go there...
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_postcard_virus.htm


Postcard Image Virus Hoax

Outline
Warning message claims that an email with an attachment entitled "POSTCARD" or "POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK" will destroy the hard drive of the infected computer and has been classified as the most destructive virus ever.



Brief Analysis
This warning is a hoax but is causing confusion because it includes a link to information about a genuine but totally unrelated virus. (Please read Detailed Analysis below for further information)

Detailed analysis and references below example.
Read more...
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/postcard-virus-hoax.shtml

Internet E-Mail Hoaxes
Do not open any message with an attachment entitled POSTCARD FROM HALLMARK - Google Search
snopes.com: 'Hallmark Postcard from a Family Member' virus
'Postcard' or 'Hallmark Postcard' Virus Hoax - Urban Legends
Postcard from Hallmark Virus Hoax
Postcard Image Virus Hoax
"A Card for You", "Virtual Card For You", or "Postcard" Virus Warning or hoax-Fiction! & Truth!
Olympic Torch (virus hoax) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Postcard from Hallmark Virus Warning.
hoaxkill.com - Google Search
HoaxKill.com - AboutUs Wiki Page
The Hoaxkill service: Let's get rid of hoaxes now!
hoaxkill.com
Re: hoaxkill.com
hoaxkill Similar Sites, Find the best 20 websites like hoaxkill.com
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