NO JOKE VIRUS ALERT

[Jon Page]

This just in:


Go here
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/bat.chode.worm.html


ALSO:


W2Knews[tm] (the original NTools E-News) Electronic Newsletter
Vol. 5, #15- April 3, 2000
Published by sunbelt-software.com since 1996 - ISSN: 1527-3407
'Immediate Notification Of Important Windows NT/2000 Events'
******************* over 600,000 SUBSCRIBERS*****************
R U S H - K I L L E R V I R U S A L E R T!
Hi Everybody, I received this from a very reliable source (SANS)
when 25% of the newsletter had been sent. I decided to interrupt
the job, and resend it. I hope it arrives early enough for you.
R U S H - K I L L E R V I R U S A L E R T!
At 8:00 am on Saturday, April 1 (This is not an April Fool's joke!)
the FBI announced it had discovered malicious code wiping out the data
on hard drives and dialing 911. This is a vicious virus and needs to
be stopped quickly. That can only be done through wide-scale individual
action. Please forward this note to everyone who you know who might
be affected.
The FBI Advisory is posted at http://www.nipc.gov/nipc/advis00-038.htm
The 911 virus is the first "Windows shares virus." Unlike recent
viruses that propagate though eMail, the 911 virus silently jumps
directly from machine to machine across the Internet by scanning
for, and exploiting, open Windows shares. After successfully
reproducing itself in other Internet-connected machines
(to assure its continued survival) it uses the machine's modem to
dial 911 and erases the local machine's hard drive. The virus is
operational; victims are already reporting wiped-out hard drives.
The virus was launched through AOL, AT&T, MCI, and NetZero in the
Houston area. The investigation points to relatively limited
distribution so far, but there are no walls in the Internet.
-----------------
Action 1: Defense
-----------------
Verify that your system and those of all your coworkers, friends, and
associates are not vulnerable by verifying that file sharing is
turned off.
* On a Windows 95/98 system, system-wide file sharing is managed by
selecting My Computer, Control Panel, Networks, and clicking on the
File and Print Sharing button. For folder-by-folder controls, you
can use Windows Explorer (Start, Programs, Windows Explorer) and
highlight a primary folder such as My Documents and then right mouse
click and select properties. There you will find a tab for sharing.
* On a Windows NT, check Control Panel, Server, Shares.
For an excellent way to instantly check system vulnerability, and for
detailed assistance in managing Windows file sharing, see: Shields
Up! A free service from Gibson Research (http://grc.com/)
-------------------
Action 2: Forensics
-------------------
If you find that you did have file sharing turned on, search your
hard drive for hidden directories named "chode", "foreskin", or
"dickhair" (we apologize for the indiscretion - but those are the
real directory names). These are HIDDEN directories, so you must
configure the Find command to show hidden directories. Under the
Windows Explorer menu choose View/Options: "Show All Files".
If you find those directories: remove them.
And, if you find them, and want help from law enforcement, call the
FBI National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) Watch Office
at 202-323-3204/3205/3206. The FBI/NIPC has done an extraordinary
job of getting data out early on this virus and deserves both kudos
and cooperation.
You can help the whole community by letting both the FBI and
SANS (intrusion@sans.org) know if you've been hit, so we can
monitor the spread of this virus.
--------------
Moving Forward
--------------
The virus detection companies received a copy of the code for the
911 Virus early this morning, so keep your virus signature files
up-to-date. We'll post new information at www.sans.org as it
becomes available.
Prepared by:
Alan Paller, Research Director, The SANS Institute
Steve Gibson, President, Gibson Research Corporation
Stephen Northcutt, Director, Global Incident Analysis Center
******************************************************
We continue our normal broadcast with W2Knews below :-)
******************************************************

This Issue of W2Knews contains:
1. EDITORS CORNER:
* Failed W2K Notebook experiment
2. CERTIFICATION BRIEFING:
* Ed Tittel's Continuing Windows 2000 MCSE Saga
3. NT RELATED NEWS:
* IBM & Microsoft team up and sell web appliance servers
* Office 2000 SR-1 breaks Windows 2000
4. NT THIRD PARTY NEWS:
* April Product Of The Month: Security Explorer
5. HINTS AND TIPS:
* Outlook dupe remover / LCD-screen caveat
6. THE NT/2000 STOCK WATCH - Friday March 31, 2000
* Just have a look at the bloodbath this week!
7. HOW TO USE THE MAILING LIST
Instructions on how to subscribe, sign off or change your address.
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