NORTHROP-L Archives

Archiver > NORTHROP > 2001-05 > 0989108925


From: "Karima" <>
Subject: [NORTHROP] From Your Listowner, Karima - Please read!
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 19:30:27 -0500


Greetings from Karima,

Normally virus discussion is "off-topic" for a genealogy list but I'm making
an exception for this announcement. Please do NOT respond to the list about
this message but please read it.

RootsWeb lists are virus-free and you won't receive any viruses through the
lists. However, there is a virus going around currently called Bad Trans
that can trick you into thinking it is coming from a list.

Here is how it works so that you can recognize it and avoid it.

A list subscriber posts a message to the list and the message is then sent
out to everyone on that list (no viruses involved). Someone who is a list
subscriber is already infected with the virus (their computer is that is).
When the list message arrives in that infected person's inbox the virus
works by sending a reply to the person whose address is in the FROM line of
the message (i.e. the list poster).

The Bad Trans virus works in this manner and it tricks the recipient into
thinking that the list is involved when it is only the means by which the
poster's address arrived on the infected person's computer--the virus never
came through the list. The reply with the list message quoted and the
attachment with the virus included is then sent to the original poster. That
is why so many folks are fooled into opening the attachment. They think it
is legitimate response to their query.

Anyone who clicked on the attachment would have gotten a message saying that
the file was corrupted but that is the virus sending that message, and
seeing that message indicates that your computer *has* been infected with
the virus. If you think you might be infected with this virus please obtain
updated anti virus software and scan and clean your system.

See: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/announce.html#virus for additional
information.

Again, please do not reply to the list. However, please let me know if YOU
have received a virus attachment that appears to be in reply to a message
posted to this list.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Karima
List Administrator


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