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http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1...=wn_techhead_5

Check out the above report. It's something that should be of concern to
those of us who run either cable or DSL.

The questions left hanging by the article are:

1. How does one tell if his pc has this going on?

2. What the heck do you do about it if you think your pc may be infected?

Anyone have answers to these questions?

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 12:41:56 -0600, RB wrote:
> http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1...=wn_techhead_5
>
> Check out the above report. It's something that should be of concern to
> those of us who run either cable or DSL.
>
> The questions left hanging by the article are:
>
> 1. How does one tell if his pc has this going on?

Install a Network Address Translation (NAT) router before your box.
Install good virus scanning software.
Install a firewall that forces you to allow a program access
and hope that malware does not disable them.

> 2. What the heck do you do about it if you think your pc may be infected?

You format the disk drives and reinstall. Install firewall, virus
scanner then connect to MS to get your updates if MS is still support
your version.

With about 70 new viruses a week, you hope your virus software gets
the signature database update before the malware finds your computer.

Or, reduce the odds and change Operating System. If you have about 4
gig of free space on disk, install Mandrake Linux or Suse and you can
boot either OS.

Bit Twister wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 12:41:56 -0600, RB wrote:
>
> Or, reduce the odds and change Operating System. If you have about 4
> gig of free space on disk, install Mandrake Linux or Suse and you can
> boot either OS.

(1) Good advice, but if you want to stay with Windows, the easiest way to
deal with trojans than can carry zombies, etc. is to not install them. A
mail screening program such as MailWasher is useful for deleting email right
from the server, so there is no chance an attachment can infect your PC
unless your purposely download it. I also use JBMail and Popcorn for this
purpose. Otherwise, never open attachments you don't know are safe.

(2) If you want to be really secure, operate Windows 2000 or Windows XP in a
"User" account, not the default account that carries "Administrator" rights
and which can install programs. Then, no zombie can install secretly behind
your back.

(3) Last but not least, always keep up to date on the Windows patches, or
you may be vulnerable without knowing it.

If you adhere to the above steps on a clean machine, you would not have to
worry about anti-trojan software or even anti-virus software, although they
might be useful as a backup in case you make a mistake.

Not to worry the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was just passed and come Jan 1, 2004
all Spam should disappear in America.



Joking aside, people need to run anti-virus programs with current definition
files. Trend Micro has a free web based version called HouseCall at
www.trendmicro.com .



Anti-virus programs typically clean up the malicious software or at least
their websites provide details on what can be done to recover from an
infection.



I would hope that future operating systems include such support imbedded in
it, as the problem of Spam will never go away until diseased systems are
made well.




"RB" <> wrote in message
news:BumEb.879$...
> http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1...=wn_techhead_5
>
> Check out the above report. It's something that should be of concern to
> those of us who run either cable or DSL.
>
> The questions left hanging by the article are:
>
> 1. How does one tell if his pc has this going on?
>
> 2. What the heck do you do about it if you think your pc may be infected?
>
> Anyone have answers to these questions?
>
>
>