My e-mail box is loaded with e-mails from people with common names, and on subject line it says Re, do not open any attachments like this as it is a virus, the size is allways 40 KB. My mama opened one and it took my hubby all evening to clear it off of her computer.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2001

Answers

Tren and everyone else. I have had a computer virus that sent out e- mails to everyone in my address book. Just so you'll know, I do NOT send attachments without warning you. If you EVER get an attachment from me, JackD, Wildman, jdenterprises, CTN12300, there will be a personal note or another e-mail telling you that I'm sending it. I don't open an attachment unless I know for certain that it's clean.

Wildman, (once bit)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2001

Good thought wildman...........everyone can know the same thing about me. I don't send attachments unless there is a specific post telling you that I would send it. I also don't open them so don't send any to me cause I just delete (unless of course you tell me you are sending it) This virus has to really be going through the forums cause I got one from somebody that I talk to about goats from CS.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

Tren I got one this morning that came up as a media player kind of thingy but didn't work and I panicked and deleted it. It was from someone named Ellen and was Regarding a boric acid solution? What is wrong with some people that they have to do this crap!? I get alot of spam that do that too..from so and so Re:........ . I do a lot of deleting. sigh.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

I also received a suspicious e-mail yesterday on another bulletin board yesterday and deleted it after trying to confirm its source. I think it would be a very good idea to quit trying to post private e- mails with attachments without warning the party you are going to send one with attachments (That come out right?).

Big time bummer, why don't these trolls do something constructive for a change? Use their knowledge to help, instead of hurt.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

The virus is called BadTrans.B and it has infected the email lists over at Yahoo Groups. If you belong to any of their lists you can be a target. The first one that I got looked like it was a private response to a question I posted on a Celtic Paganism list over a year ago. The return address was a well-known Pagan author and I was really flattered that she was writing to me directly. Then I opened the email and couldn't figure out why she would be sending me a file called YOU_ARE_FAT.mp3 so I deleted it. I was really bummed that it was just a virus.

Here is an article with more information. BadTran s.B

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

Everyone that deleted attachments did the right thing. Difficult, wasn't it? It's kinda like throwing away a Christmas present. But, I've never had an attachment sent to me that was earth shattering or one that changed my life. So, if I delete it, did I really miss anything? If you contact the people, they can resend it, if it's really a valid attachment. Most things that are sent as attachments could have just been forwarded instead. I'm no computer guru, but I don't even know why stuff is sent as an attachment, most of the time. I've sent myself stuff to see if it showed up as an attachment or was in the body of the message.. Most of the time it was in the body and showed up as an attachment too. You just gotta know I ain't right when I e-mail myself.

I don't even know why I'm saying this because I'm not positive, positive, but from what I understand, you cannot get a virus unless you OPEN the attachment. Just having it come up in your inbox or showing you a link, will not give you a virus. Only when you double click on the little paper clip thingy will you end up with the virus.

I know we've got to have a guru on here, help us out.

Wildman, (passing out questionable information)

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

The one I got this morning was from Ellen. She has goats and probably at sometime e-mailed you about something on the CS forum. She would not deliberately send you a virus......it has just invaded her computer and sent to anyone she has in her address book. She and I have talked back and forth for quite a while about our goat herds and homesteads. That is how a lot of these virus work. Once you are "infected" your computer sends out to all your freinds and family..........like the old gift that keeps on giving thingy!! Just keep on deleting those attachments.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

I wish these people would get a real life. What possesses them to think its fun to cause damage, inconvenience and actual harm to another is beyond me.

Our ISP and e-mail server have built in virus protection so I think we're safe on this end.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

I don't even know why I'm saying this because I'm not positive, positive, but from what I understand, you cannot get a virus unless you OPEN the attachment. Just having it come up in your inbox or showing you a link, will not give you a virus. Only when you double click on the little paper clip thingy will you end up with the virus.

According to the link Sherri posted, I don't think this is the case anymore:

BadTrans.b will automatically execute the attachment in Microsoft® Outlook and Outlook Express, if using Internet Explorer version 5.01 or 5.5 (click Help | About in Internet Explorer to discover your version). In the case of Outlook Express, it infects simply by the email appearing in the Preview Pane. While this was resolved some time ago in Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS01-020), many users (if not most) have not installed the patch. If you aren't sure how to interpret your version number to see whether you need the patch, Microsoft has a helpful page to help you determine the exact version. BadTrans.b is not the first virus to exploit this vulnerability; the Nimda worm used the same tactic.

I'm now reading all my e-mail directly through my ISP instead of using Outlook Express. I think I may install the newest version of Netscape and use their e-mail program instead of Microshits - I'm getting fed up with all these security breaches that MS is either unable or unwilling to fix! >:-(

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

Jim, thanks for the heads up!!! I am running MS Windows 98 SE and went to the update site. (it surprized me how many security updates I had missed, time flies!!!) I don't understand how you can read your mail AT your ISP?? My ISP has it set up that all my mail comes right to my outlook express when I dialup. How would you change that?? This is the first I have heard of a virus that could come in without an attachment. HELP!!!!

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

I know that I'm safe from viruses with my system, and I only have a few of you in my address book. But don't be insulted when I tell ya that I'd never send ya anything for Christmas or otherwise :-)!!

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

My semi-computer geeky friends tell me that IE is the most used browser and is therefore the biggest target. Using other browsers will lessen your chances of getting a virus, as these jerks don't "write" them for the other browsers. Apparently people with Macs don't get any of this crap. I'm gonna switch to a different one as soon as I get this transition to a new ISP accomplished. I want to make sure that one works okay before I install anything else that is new! Ugh, I have found out so much more about computers lately than I EVER wanted to. They should just not get bugs, and heal themselves if they do! :-(

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

diane,

I can go to my ISP's web site and click on a button that takes me to a page where I can input my user name and password for my mail account. This is a feature that a lot of ISP's offer to their cutomers - it allows you to read your mail anywhere in the world.

This way I can check my mail and delete it (and any spam messages) - right on my ISP's mail server - without having to download or open it.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

JIM, you da man! Thanks for straightening me out. Old knowledge isn't necessarily correct knowledge, is it? I'm following your suggestions as soon as I get off here.

Thanks

Wildman (humbly bowing to the master)

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

Old knowledge isn't necessarily correct knowledge, is it?.

Well, I guess it would depend on the subject matter. :-)

Unfortunately with computers, it seems today that one needs a degree in Computer Science to succesfully navigate the Web. Things are changing so rapidly that it's almost impossible to keep up. (grumble)

Wildman (humbly bowing to the master)

Heh, if *I'm* the master then we're in some serious trouble! ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

I use my ISP configuration as well. I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express. Even deleted them from the computer so I wouldn't inadvertantly catch anything.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2001

Well I think I am the winner I got 27 of them this a.m.,kinda strang they all started to come in right after I got into it with the a hole over on CS.A thread was started about being of color,well me and my big mouth got into it w/ troll man.Things that make you go hummmmm.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

I can't find that thread anymore. I bet Ken deleted it. Gee, do you all remember last year about this time people were getting feisty and touchy? Now this year add in the trolls that have infested the Lusenet forums and this badtrans virus/worm/whatever -- sheesh!

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001