Warning! Virus / Trojan alert! Free anti-virus.

[Intrepid]

This virus/trojan reminder message is unnecessary for experienced netizens. However, I think many newbies, eager to learn the ways of the Net, are visiting the forum so this is for you:

NEVER open an email attachment from someone you would not trust to use your PC. If you receive an unexpected attachment from a friend, contact the friend BEFORE you open the attachment. Email return addresses can be spoofed.

For those of you who need a good, free anti-virus prog:

http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.cfm

If you receive a verified virus/trojan email attachment, save the email and attachment, report it to sender's ISP and to Web site where you think sender got your email address.

Senders of viruses/trojans often can be traced, especially if they are not very careful with email headers.

Justice will prevail.

[Unregistered]

quote
"Senders of viruses/trojans often can be traced, especially if they are not very careful with email headers."

If a virius can mutate and send itself to others via email,would
it be possible for someone to send it without even knowing it?
How would an isp or anyone else know if the sender was the
perpetrator or just an innocent victim?

[Blacksheep]

"If a virius can mutate and send itself to others via email,would
it be possible for someone to send it without even knowing it?"

Yes.

"How would an isp or anyone else know if the sender was the
perpetrator or just an innocent victim?"

Server logs would need to be studied. In some cases it is virtually impossible to locate the original source/perpretrator of self-propragating virus/worm.

[1_novice]

Has anyone other than me made the mistake of opening an
infected attachment?


"The Sophos ********* Support department has written a batch file, available in English, which you can use to remove W*2/Sircam-A.

The batch file "rmsirc.bat" will disinfect English, French, German, Italian and Spanish systems."


http://www.sophos.com/support/faqs/sircam.html

It's only 6.4kb and free.