Computer Viruses--as e-mail/message attachments
CAUTION:
It has been observed, over the past one year or so, that a few unscrupulous/mentally sick individuals are abusing an inherent weakness in the Yahoo software--which allows them to STEAL the Identity of other Yahoo-users, and send messages AS IF the same had been sent by the actual owners of the said ID.
Many a times, these messages contain Attachments which carry computer viruses. The name of the said attached file might be misleadingly disguised as a .jpg or .pdf or .doc file etc. At times, their e-mail message itself contains the words "no virus found".
PLEASE DO NOT OPEN SUCH ATTACHMENTS--unless the same have been pre-screened by the Anti-Virus software which you have yourself installed on your pc. There are some workable Anti-virus programmes which are available free. You may download the same from the Internet. Moreover, please keep your said software (especially, its virus-definitions) always updated.
If, by chance you still open one of the said Attachments, then the easiest way to get rid off the said virus immediately permanently is to:-
i) Immediately switch off your pc from the wall-socket (electric mains), and NOT as you would normally switch off the p.c.—from the start menu of the Windows OS or from the on/off switch installed on your CPU-cabinet.
ii) Switch on the pc again, and let Windows automatically do the disk-check.
N.B.: It is pertinent to mention that the ID-stealer cannot, however, open and read your e-mails--without knowing your password.
Another method for removing a virus--without shutting down the pc, is:-
Click Start, click Run, type REGEDIT in the text-box and click OK.
In the left panel of the window that opens, expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER (by clicking on the + sign in front of this entry), then roll down and find Software.
Expand Software, find Microsoft and expand it, too.
Expand Windows, then expand CurrentVersion.
In the drop-down tree under CurrentVersion, click on Run.
Now, in the right-hand panel you will find an entry which is preceded by (~) sign, i.e. the sign used for temporary files. This is the programme-file which contains the virus. Delete this file.
For a related Article, please visit my Blog:
http://themissociijuris.joeuser.com
CAUTION: THE ABOVE PROCESS EDITS THE REGISTRY--IT IS DANGEROUS TO PLAY WITH THE REGISTRY. HENCE, BEFORE EDITING THE REGISTRY PLEASE DO VISIT MICROSOFT'S WEBSITE AND SEARCH ITS 'KNOWLEDGE-BASE' FOR ARTICLES ON HOW TO SAVE REGISTRY BEFORE EDITING THE SAME, CREATION & USE OF RESTORE-POINTS, ETC.
Some insights into the computer virus:-
A computer virus is a programme (small or big) which sits on a local host, and is incapable of running independently of that host. This host can be an Operating System or an Application--which is already installed on the PC. For example, a virus may be written in VBScript and sit on CScript or WScript in Windows XP.
Invariably, the virus is scripted by a person who has insider knowledge of the structure of the targeted OS/Application.
Hence, the easiest and most effective method to banish the viruses is:-
1) After the installation of each such host, it must be automatically monitored by a built-in security routine which launches a Dialogue-Box before any script (other than the ones which officially came with the said OS/Application as ‘OEM’) is run; and the said routine asks the User whether or not to run the said script.
2) The said Dialogue-Box should respond to either the key-board strokes or to mouse-clicks—that, too, only after certain characters (which the system will randomly generate) are visually recognised by the User and are manually typed-in by him/her.
3) The above exercise should be repeated the second time the said script is run—so that an error inadvertently committed the first time, may be corrected now.
4) After the installation of any new OS/Application on the PC, and after the Steps 1-3 (above) are taken for the first time on that PC, the system should generate a unique ID Number (based on the OS/Application Registration Number and the presence of certain hardware items installed on the PC), and attach this Number as a check-string to the said script.
5) Thereafter, every new script--using the said local host on that PC, which has undergone Steps 1-3, will be automatically assigned the said unique check-string.
6) All scripts to which the said check-string is assigned, will run without further prompting.
7) This will prevent un-solicited & un-tested scripts from running automatically on your PC.
8) Every OS should automatically partition your Hard Disk into two Drives. The second Drive will be a small one and will house the ‘SafeMode’ version of the OS. This drive can be used for retrieving your documents if, God forbid, your main drive is infected or the main OS crashes.
9) At Step 1 above, the OS/Application will automatically create a copy of the said script and save it in a separate folder in the second drive. However, the same will be automatically deleted if Step-2 has been executed without any hitch.
10) If the said script has come as an attachment to an e-mail message, then it should first be saved, details of the sender/author of the said mail be automatically saved in the ‘Properties’ data of the said file, and then only it be allowed to run. These details will help in tracking the offender and bringing him to book in accordance with the criminal law.
In case the said file is downloaded form the web, then the web-site address etc should be automatically included in the ‘Properties’ data.
11) In the case of a virus-infection in the main Drive, the User simply re-starts into the second drive, launches the Utility called “Automatic Error Reporter”--supplied by the Architect/Designer of the said OS/Application, and the said Utility/Tool uploads the said folder as well. This will enable the Architect/Designer of the OS/Application to analyse the said virus, and publish appropriate Warnings/Notices at its official web-site, and to take legal action against the author/sender of the said virus because this amounts to causing malicious injury to the reputation of the Architect/Designer/Vendor and wrongful loss to the User.
Secondly, the User can--via this second Drive, retrieve his documents which he/she had saved on the main Drive. The User may need these documents urgently--before the expert help arrives.
Thirdly, from this small drive the User can access the Internet with a view to find out the ways & means of removing the said virus or for coming out of the said crash.
Happy computing!
As soon as you come across a person who is sending virus-infected e-mails, please copy the sender’s particulars and the subject-matter--from your Yahoo In-Box, and alert all your friends & Group-Members. For example,
WARNING:
The following Group-Member is sending virus-infected e-mail
attachments to Group-Members; so, please be ware and do not download
or open the files sent by him as Attachments:-
"vanlhea [support_cyndi] This is exciting!!! Female secret
garden,The pretty and sexy bab..."