JISCMail - DISABILITY-RESEARCH Archives

Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:26:31 +0800 (WST)
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The Melissa Virus - not a hoax!
Sender: [log in to unmask]

Hello readers,

(You may receive this message more than once if you're on more than
one of my mailing lists. Apologies for the inconvenience)

You may have heard about an e-mail virus called the "Melissa Virus".
It's not a hoax - and it could affect YOU!

There's been a lot written about it, but the best is an article in
The Internet Tourbus, an e-mail newsletter I mentioned a few weeks ago.
I've reproduced the entire issue below. Please read it and TAKE ACTION
if necessary.

How do we know this is not a hoax? Because, unlike the hoax messages,
this one refers you to credible sources - in this case, the Microsoft
Web site and the CERT (this is Computer Emergency Response Team, or
something like that) Web site.

If you want to pass it on, please do the original author the courtesy
of forwarding the entire message.

Regards,
Gihan

[This week's edition of TOURBUS Plus is being distributed to both our
plus bus riders and our regular TOURBUS riders.  When you see the
topic of this week's post, you will understand why.  --PC]

Blah blah blah ASCII graphics blah blah ...
    _________ ____________ ________ __________ _____________ ___ _
   /         |            /        |          |             /   | \
  |          |           /         |          |            /    |  \
  |__________|__________/__________|__________|___________/     |   \
 /                                                       /______|----\
| There's nothing wrong with computers, but they aren't pigs.   |    |
\________________________________________________________|______|____|
    /   \  /   \                                             /   \
    \___/  \___/  T h e   I n t e r n e t   T o u r B u s    \___/

TODAY'S TOURBUS PLUS STOP(S):
   The Melissa Virus
TODAY'S TOURBUS PLUS ADDRESS(ES):
   http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761-6,00.html
   http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761,00.html
   http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/articles/macroalert.htm
   http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-04-Melissa-Macro-Virus.html

Howdy, y'all!

By now, you have probably heard about the Melissa virus.
I hate to have to tell you this, but the story is absolutely true.
According to a security alert from Microsoft, the Melissa virus is a
Microsoft Word 97 or Word 2000 macro virus that is

     delivered via email in an attached Word document.  The email
     contains the subject line "Important Message From "UserName"
     and/or contains the message body "Here is that document you asked
     for ... don't show anyone else ;-)".  If the attached Word
     document is opened and the macro virus is enabled (i.e. it is
     allowed to run), it can propagate itself by sending email with
     the infected document to a number of recipients.  The virus reads
     the list of members from Outlook's Global Address Book and sends
     an email message to the first 50 recipients programmatically, one
     at a time.

Two groups of people are affected by the Melissa virus:

     1. Anyone who uses Microsoft Word 97 or Word 2000 with Microsoft
        Outlook 97, 98 or 2000.  The Melissa virus can infect your
        copy of Microsoft Word as well as any subsequent Word
        documents you create, change your Word settings to make it
        easier for your computer to be infected by this and future
        macro viruses, and use your copy of Outlook to email Melissa-
        infected Word files to 50 of your friends.

     2. Anyone who uses Microsoft Word 97 or Word 2000 with any other
        email program.  While the Melissa virus will not automatically
        redistribute itself to your friends through your email program
        -- this redistribution only happens if you have Microsoft
        Outlook installed on your computer -- the Melissa virus can
        still infect your copy of Microsoft Word as well as any
        subsequent Word documents you may create, and it can also
        change your Word settings to make it easier for your computer
        to be infected by this and future macro viruses.  Once your
        computer is infected with the Melissa virus, any subsequent
        Word file you create and then share with others -- via email,
        floppy disk, FTP, and so on -- will contain the Melissa virus.

[The conventional wisdom is that the Melissa virus only affects
Windows users; Mac users are supposedly immune to it.  I'm not
convinced.  Just to be safe, if you have a Mac and use Word 98, assume
that the following applies to you as well.]

What should you do to protect yourself from this new virus?  Well,

     1. BREATHE!  This really isn't as bad as you might think (or as
        the media would have you believe).

     2. UPDATE YOUR VIRUS DEFINITIONS.  Every major antivirus software
        manufacturer has released a virus update that recognizes and
        removes the Melissa virus.  If you are unsure of how to update
        your virus definitions, visit the homepage of your antivirus
        software manufacturer (you can find a complete list of most
        of these manufacturers at http://www.yahoo.com/).

        If you don't have an antivirus program installed on your
        computer, STOP READING THIS EMAIL, get into your car, drive to
        Wal Mart (or your local software store), and buy yourself the
        latest copy of Norton AntiVirus.

     3. LAUNCH MICROSOFT WORD.

     4. TURN ON MACRO VIRUS PROTECTION IN WORD.

        If you use Word 97, go to Tools --> Options.  Click on the
        "General" tab.  Make sure that "Macro virus protection" (at
        the bottom of the list) is checked.

        If you use Word 2000, Double-click on the Tools menu, point to
        "Macro," and then choose "Security."  Select the level of
        security you want.  (High security will allow only macros that
        have been signed to open.  Unsigned macros will be
        automatically disabled.  Medium security always brings up the
        macro dialog protection box that allows you to disable macros
        if you are unsure of the macros.)

After that, beware of ALL Microsoft Word files that contain macros
unless you are absolutely certain you know what those macros do.
[Macros represent a list of commands, actions, or keystrokes.  You can
use macros in Microsoft Word to speed up repetitive tasks.  Virus
writers can use macros in Microsoft Word to do nasty things to your
computer.]

Many people will also tell you that you should be on the lookout for
email messages with the subject line "Important message from ..."
That is poor advice.  It would be much smarter if you ignored the
subject line of your email letters altogether and instead remembered
the following:

     NEVER DOUBLE-CLICK (OR LAUNCH) *ANY* FILE, ESPECIALLY AN EMAIL
     ATTACHMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHO THE FILE IS FROM, UNTIL YOU FIRST
     SCAN THAT FILE WITH YOUR ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM.

If you don't know how to virus check an email attachment, especially
an email attachment in Microsoft Outlook, take a look at

<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761-6,00.html">
http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761-6,00.html </a>.

I'd also recommend that you take a look at ZDNet's article titled "The
Not So Lovely Melissa Virus at

<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761,00.html">
http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761,00.html </a>

ZDNet's "Melissa" article is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn
the inside scoop on this whole virus scare.  You can find Microsoft's
Melissa virus alert at

<a href="http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/articles/macroalert.htm">
http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/articles/macroalert.htm </a>.

You can also read the offical CERT advisory on this virus at

<a href="http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-04-Melissa-Macro-Virus.html">
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-04-Melissa-Macro-Virus.html </a>.

Finally, once you have absorbed all of this, go back to the first
thing I told you to do and BREATHE (again)!  The sky is not falling.
You do not need to fear your computer.  If you update your virus
definitions, change your macro virus protection settings in Word,
beware of Word files that contain unfamiliar macros, and NEVER double
click on a file until you have virus checked it, your life can and
will go on.  :)

TODAY'S TOURBUS PLUS STOP(S):
   The Melissa Virus
TODAY'S TOURBUS PLUS ADDRESS(ES):
   http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761-6,00.html
   http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2233761,00.html
   http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/articles/macroalert.htm
   http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-04-Melissa-Macro-Virus.html

--------------------------------
TODAY'S SOUTHERN WORD OF THE DAY
--------------------------------

SCALES (noun).  Ability or proficiency
Usage: "I'm a-goin' back to skool to brush up on my scales."

[Special thanks to Libby Holthouser for today's wurd]

You can find all of the old Southern Words of the day at
<a href="http://netsquirrel.com/crispen/word.html">
http://netsquirrel.com/crispen/word.html </a>

=====================[ Tourbus Rider Information ]===================
   The Internet Tourbus - U.S. Library of Congress ISSN #1094-2238
      Copyright 1995-99, Rankin & Crispen - All rights reserved

  Do You Like Tourbus?  Recommend It and You Could Win a Palm Pilot!
<a href=" http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=194773 "> CLICK </a>

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=====================================================================

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