The more things change, the more they stay the same

[giza]

Anyone who has been following the news is likely aware of the latest virus making the rounds. It password protects files on your hard disk, and then demands that you send money to the author in order to get the decryption key. The thing is, it's not like this is a first. Would you believe that this was done before in *1989*?

Straight from Rob Slade's History of Computer Viruses:

The disks contained an installation program and a very simplistic AIDS information "page turner" and risk assessment. The installation program appeared only to copy the AIDS program onto the target hard disk, but in reality did much more. A hidden directory was created with a nonprinting character name and a hidden program file with a nonprinting character in the name was installed. The AUTOEXEC.BAT file was renamed and replaced with one which called the hidden program, and then the original AUTOEXEC. The hidden program kept track of the number of times the computer was rebooted, and, after a certain number, encrypted the hard disk. The user was then presented with an invoice and a demand to pay the license fee in return for the encryption key.

Here are some simple steps for staying virus/spyware-free:

Step 1) Make regular backups. The more you have documents that change/are updated, the more frequently they should be backed up.
Step 2) Run anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Keep it updated.
Step 3) Avoid virus replication factories Microsoft Software. Use programs like Firefox for web browsing and Thunderbird for e-mail.

Comments

[drleo.livejournal.com]

I'm no fan of Microsoft, but advice like "avoid Microsoft software" is really overkill. People just need to learn how to use their computers. I use Firefox for web browsing, and I use PINE for email, which has the benefit of being too simple and dumb to have problems with viruses. Not to mention a virus isn't going to get very far if it tries to run on the SPARC architecture I get my email on. :)

But every now and then I have to use IE because Firefox just doesn't render a page right, and I even use Office in certain situations. Firefox and Thunderbird aren't invulnerable, and people sometimes forget this because they're too religious about being anti-MS.

Not talking about you in particular, Giza, but just a general rant. These programs are tools, not sacred icons; and ya use the right tool for the right job.

[giza.livejournal.com]

> People just need to learn how to use their computers.

I presume you have never met most of my family. They're nice people, not a one of them can tell the difference between a microchip and a potato chip.

That being said, I'm a big fan of the KISS philosophy, because simpler things are less likely to be screwed up by imperfect human beings. Taking my family into account, it's much easier for me to tell them "Don't use IE" than "Only use IE under one of the following conditions". It also keeps them out of the situation of having two sets of bookmarks to deal with, and keeping IE open longer than they should have because they forgot which browser they were never in.

To give an example, my parents have a Mac, and they have had self-inflicted problems with it. Trying to tell them, "Only use IE under these circumstances" would be way too much for them to remember/understand, I think.

[drleo.livejournal.com]

That doesn't leave much hope for them being able to make regular backups, or keep anti-spyware/anti-virus software updated.

Perhaps it'd be simpler just to not have some people using computers at all.

[giza.livejournal.com]

Funny you should mention that!

I actually DID get an e-mail from my Mom the other day, asking questions about what hardware she should purchase to backups (she doesn't have a CD-R). So she at least listened to SOME of the stuff I told her.

As for the virus/spyware thing, that's why I made my parents get a Mac. They only thing they have to fear causing problems on the machine are themselves. ;-)

[kellic.livejournal.com]

The fact that a virus can simply read your address book and send out spam on versions of MS Lookout prior to 2003 suggests that there is a fundamental problem beyond simply learning how to use your computer. I mean for the love of god Wordpad. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS04-041.mspx

A security issue in WORDPAD!?! Like it or not MS software is more vulnerable to security issues then 3rd party software if for no other reason then it ties into Windows at such a low level. Try opening up word.exe in MS's dependency walker sometime and see where the OS ends and the application begins. It’s hard to tell and in some instances such as IE its impossible to tell.

[Repost: grrr]

[unciaa.livejournal.com]

I liked Monte Carlo's method better. It copied your FAT partition into memory, corrupted the HD one, then made you play a game of chance to get it back. Those were -classy- viruses. :)

[giza.livejournal.com]

http://rusdoc.ru/material/virus/casino.txt (http://rusdoc.ru/material/virus/casino.txt)

I remember Dark Avenger, too. Upon executing an infected file, it had a 1 in 16 chance to corrupt a random sector on the hard drive. Ouch.

Then there was One_half. It was multi-partite in that would go resident but also write its body to the Master Boot Record, encrypt the original partition table, and store it in the next sector. The result: booting from the hard disk caused One_half to hook interrupt 13h so that all accesses to the MBR would result in it being decrypted just fine. But if you booted from a floppy, you'd be unable to access drive C: since the normal location of the partition table is encrypted. Was a real pain in the arse to get rid of. :-P

[kellic.livejournal.com]

My Holy 5......

1. Use Antivirus Software (Pref Norton Corp Edition.)
2. Use a firewall.
3. Use FireFox
4. Do Windows Updates at least quarterly.
5. Use your brain

6. [Optional] Use a Mail program that is somewhat secure. From what I understand MS retooled Lookout 2003 to be less accessible to viruses and from my point of view has a decent spam filter. (Then again I hardly get any spam to begin with so YMMV)

If you can't do that then get a Mac.

I’ve gotten 1…count em one virus in my computing history. It was NYB back in the Win 3.11 days. An honest to god bootsector virus. Since then. Natta.

[giza.livejournal.com]

Oh, that reminds me! Know why I had such a great upload/download ratio back in my BBS days? I called long distance AV boards to get the latest versions of anti-virus software, then called up the local boards and uploaded it to every board. New version released? More upload credit for me! :-)

[khakiwolf.livejournal.com]

Well the answer to this problem is simple, no? He wants you to send him money? Where? Give the information to the police. Tada.

Idiot.

[giza.livejournal.com]

Ever tried doing law enforcement when the perp was in Russia? :-/