MOTM

> "system.exe".  The file was dated 4/1/04 (April fools day).  Here is some
> info on this nasty piece of spyware that was copying files from my machine.
> 
> http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojtofgerb.html

What email client are you using? If Outlook or Outlook Express - dump 
them immediately. There's so many holes in them both that it's not even 
funny. You'll find that almost 90% of the folks getting viri, trojans 
and the like are using Microsoft ...

I have been using Mozilla Thunderbird for some time now. It's very nice 
and there's a number of security features built in - you can stop remote 
graphics from loading - JavaScripts will *not* run unless you tell them 
to - executables are prohibited from doing so - there's built-in 
configurable "spam" filters as well. You won't be disappointed.

Additionally, if you're using Internet Explorer - it makes it really 
easy for some sites to install "spy ware" when you visit their sites 
without you hardly even knowing. There's no pop-up protection unless you 
install a third party product...  If you're using I.E., switch to 
Mozilla Firefox instead. It'll block unwanted pop-ups for you and keep 
things from getting installed in the background. In addition, it's a 
nice standards-complaint browser.

Keep your virus protection updated, and use something that scans all 
incoming emails and scans content from websites as you browse as well. I 
use the Kaspersky products myself and have been very happy: 
http://www.kaspersky.com/

For those of you on high-speed connections - install personal firewall 
software that monitors incoming connections for you and will ask you if 
a connection is to be allowed or denied.

Keeping your computer "disease free" is sorta like making sure you 
always practice "safe sex".  It's not impossible to do with a little 
effort....

-- 
Les Mizzell
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There's no place like 127.0.0.1
There's no place like 127.0.0.1
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