Let's talk email viruses...

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

Let's talk email viruses...

Date: Apr 29, 2004

a form of terrorism...can't get their way so resort to some form of attack

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I had one come to me yesterday as well, I will have to go back to my dorm room to see what the subject was, but it did attempt to direct me to believe it was offical from USM. What was too obvious was the aol address it came from. I replied with a simple 'oops, sorry, i don't open viruses'

What I don't get is where they picked up my email address. I only use it to email my mother at work and 2 teachers, who happen to be in Liberal Arts mind you...so this wasn't some random virus from the internet.

I'm not scared and no one else should be either. Just don't open any attachments and delete them throughly and you should be fine.

Jr High Tactics....

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I'm guessing the return addresses are being spoofed, and it didn't actually come from any of those organizations.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I live 600 miles away from Hattiesburg and my entire system went down. I live on a peninsula on a lake and it took out all the houses around mine. I had to reinstall AOL (this occured right about 11:20 a.m. CST) and my Spyware showed that my Registry had been attacked by 18 "parasaites" - with severe problems. Got it corrected - reinstalled AOL - called the group who I have DSL with and they told me it was "highly suspicious". I told my better half last night that "call me paranoid but that was a planned attack"

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I haven't been hit by a virus, so far, but my firewall has been attacked numbers of times in the past weeks. I trace all of the attacks and contact my server with the account numbers. Does anyone else on here have Norton Internet Security? If so, there is a very nifty little tracing program on it that allows you to find the location of the person that instigated the email.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: wary undergrad
"I haven't been hit by a virus, so far, but my firewall has been attacked numbers of times in the past weeks. I trace all of the attacks and contact my server with the account numbers. Does anyone else on here have Norton Internet Security? If so, there is a very nifty little tracing program on it that allows you to find the location of the person that instigated the email. "

This thread is very interesting, because ever since I have begun to take an interest in the USM matter, I have noticed constant intrusion attempts (also stopped by Norton Internet Security). Previously, I rarely had to deal with this problem, but now an alert seems to pop up every hour.

I, too, have traced nearly all of these attempts, using the Norton tracing feature; it might be interesting, perhaps, to compare the addresses to which we have traced the attacks. I have not been keeping a list of them before now, but I will start doing so.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I got one too, from a USM address. No sign of that person in the current phone book. I'll try online. (Are there alums still using USM addresses?)

Date: Apr 29, 2004

One more reason I'm glad I use a Mac!

Date: Apr 29, 2004

I got a bunch too. If you go to the Trend Web site at www.trendmicro.com, you will see that a number of viruses are running rampant, especially some nasty e-mail ones. (worm_bagel.z in particular) I tend to think that these waves of virus attacks are a result of collaborations between Microsoft and the anti-virus companies. It's a way to keep us all dependant on the "critical updates" and most recent "file patterns." Just my own little conspiracy theory...

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: swissmiss/Jenny
"I got a bunch too. If you go to the Trend Web site at www.trendmicro.com, you will see that a number of viruses are running rampant, especially some nasty e-mail ones. (worm_bagel.z in particular) I tend to think that these waves of virus attacks are a result of collaborations between Microsoft and the anti-virus companies. It's a way to keep us all dependant on the "critical updates" and most recent "file patterns." Just my own little conspiracy theory..."

And the deluge that hit the College of Arts and Letters yesterday may have been sent to keep USM dependent on Pileum/iTech, but that's just my own little conspiracy theory.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

Maybe. I think that the two are not synonymous though. I know lots of people at iTech who have been here a long time and would really like to make their own decisions about what this campus needs in the way of technical support. Again, a situation that they did NOT ask for.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

Although I like a conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, the truth is that the vast majority of worms/virii nowadays target Windows PCs because there are more of them. Another point is that folks who use Linux tend to be more technologically savvy that the average Windows user & are likely to be running intrusion detection systems, firewalls, etc.

There are also some perfectly logical reasons that the USM network may have experienced a "virus storm" right after the hearing, reasons that have nothing to do with "evil Shelboids" & a lot to do with folks who don't keep their antivirus software upgraded & activated returning to their offices & switching on the PC.

Is it just me, or does "Pileum" sound like a patent remedy for hemorrhoids?

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: swissmiss/Jenny
"Maybe. I think that the two are not synonymous though. I know lots of people at iTech who have been here a long time and would really like to make their own decisions about what this campus needs in the way of technical support. Again, a situation that they did NOT ask for. "

Actually, I feel pity for the iTech folks--as you said, many of them have been here awhile. Isn't it sad that Pileum's CEO is answering to Angie and making hiring and firing decisions concerning them? OTR did a FINE job before they were reconstituted. Pileum has helped Shelby spy, so I have no concern for them.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"Although I like a conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, the truth is that the vast majority of worms/virii nowadays target Windows PCs because there are more of them. Another point is that folks who use Linux tend to be more technologically savvy that the average Windows user & are likely to be running intrusion detection systems, firewalls, etc. There are also some perfectly logical reasons that the USM network may have experienced a "virus storm" right after the hearing, reasons that have nothing to do with "evil Shelboids" & a lot to do with folks who don't keep their antivirus software upgraded & activated returning to their offices & switching on the PC. Is it just me, or does "Pileum" sound like a patent remedy for hemorrhoids?"

No, it had nothing to do with that. These were people in the office all day who had their PCs and email up all day. At about 4:15, their email inboxes were deluged with viruses.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"No, it had nothing to do with that. These were people in the office all day who had their PCs and email up all day. At about 4:15, their email inboxes were deluged with viruses."

Correct.

The worm may have been sitting on another PC that was turned on about that time. If the worm is able to access a global (server-based) address book, it can theoretically spam every address on the server in a matter of a few moments.

The virus didn't necessarily come from the computers that were on all day. It attacked them.

What's amazing is that this hot-dog outsourced IT outfit can't install a server-based virus filter. Most network managers consider that essential these days.

But that's no fun. Compare the IP addresses of the virus-laden emails to the IP blocks allotted to the polymer science & other CoST buildings. See if there's a pattern. What departments get the best technology resources anyway? There's your conspiracy theory du jour.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" What's amazing is that this hot-dog outsourced IT outfit can't install a server-based virus filter. "

Yeah, you would think for $249,999.99, Pileum's update would have included decent virus protection.

Thanks for the insight, invictus.