Email Viruses - Beware!!!

[Justin]

I just wanted to share an experience I've had recently with a certain email virus.

It comes in the form of an exe file called happy99.exe. Don't let it's name fool you! It is only 10k in size, but they say big things come in small packages.

When this is run, it displays this nice little "Happy New Years 1999" fireworks display. But the fireworks continue long after you have deleted it.

Once this little program is run, it becomes attached to every email you send. Although you will not find a happy99.exe on your hard disk, it becomes uuencoded into your outgoing emails. And you will never even know it was sent.

So lets say you recieve this from a friend. You think, I know this person, and (s)he would never send me anything bad!. This may be true if the person knows they are sending it...

So you run it, think Oh, how nice. Fireworks. Then you forget all about it, and unknowingly send it to all of your friends.

Anyway, it does more harm than that and I was lucky enough to eliminate it before it could. I just thought I'd share my little mishap in hopes that others will learn from my mistake - never, ever run an exe file unless you know what it is / were expecting it! Even with a name like happy...

I had to learn the hard way, I guess. But at least I did learn http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif


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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Tech Support

[Terra]

Hey, the Ren and Stimpy theme song...

happy happy joy joy happy happy joy joy

--
Terra
--I have always been curious if people fell for that one--
FutureQuest

[Jacob Stetser]

Wow.

I thought email viruses were urban legends.. although, I must admit I've never run an .exe file I got in email.

Too much work to email it back to a Windows box http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif

Jake

[pqwabbit]

No they definatly exist - someone tried to pass one off on me a few weeks ago grrrrr!
Visit any of the major antivirus site for more info - they also keep track of the hoaxes too http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif

Lea

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Bunnies make life better.
Massachusetts House Rabbit Society, Inc.
http://www.MAHouseRabbit.org/

[Dean B]

Yikes, a good friend sent me that happy.exe (I wonder if he knew he's sent it) Fortunately I deleted it without running it first.


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Regards, Dean.
**DMCity Web Board**
www.dmcity.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi (http://www.dmcity.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi)

[Deb]

someone tried to pass one off on me a few weeks ago grrrrr

If you do get something like happy99.exe from someone you know.... you should probably let them know it happened.

Most infected with it do not realize it until someone brings it to their attention.. this how these things spread so quickly. They send the 'cute lil program' to all of their friends and it moves on from there.. that's the joy of worms:/ This particular program is staying healthy because people are receiving an exe file from someone they trust...so it couldn't possibly be a bad file right? NOT!

Rule of thumb for files on the net -- If you didn't request it... you don't need it... and you wont be missing anything at all if you delete it.

Deb

[auteur]

We've actually had this virus hit a few of our 'puters here at work. It's not nice. Our MIS guys have been calling it a few choice names. http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif

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Elizabeth M. Miller
Getting You the Attention You Deserve!
www.123marketing.com (http://www.123marketing.com)

[Daniel]

I got a billing statement from my other isp and it was a attachment, I had heard of it so I didn't run it but I called them about it. They freaked when I told them they are probably sending it 1000s of people right now and they don't know not to open it.
That may be a PR nightmare for them.
Daniel

So lets say you recieve this from a friend. You think, I know this person, and (s)he would
never send me anything bad!. This may be true if the person knows they are sending it...

[apm]

Hi,

I recvd the file from a relative and i opened it *really dumb*. No how do I remove the virus. I have norton anti virus. I did do search on the netscape file it said 0 files infected. Please advise.

THnkyou

[Justin]

An anti-virus program is only good if you update it's definitions often. Virus's come out quickly, and there's usually an update shortly afterwords that will handle it.

As far as getting rid of happy99.exe, you'll want to visit http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html - they have detailed instructions on removing the virus.

DO NOT send anyone email until you have removed it as you will be sending them the virus (and who knows what else it does - it may send a copy of the email elsewhere too - you never can tell...).

I had someone send me the file again, too http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif I told them about it and that they need to take care of it, and I gave them the above link as well. You should inform your relative as well.

I hope this helps http://www.aota.net/ubb/smile.gif

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support