Virus Propagation

[Bengie]

In the days before the internet, the way to spread a virus was to get it on to a floppy disk and get that disk into users hands.
One way of doing that was with Freeware and another way was to leave a disk lying around somewhere for someone to pick up.

Just to let you know that there has been a spate of the old method of spreading viruses. If you should see a cd left on some counter or cafe table, then your best bet is to leave it there and not let curiosity get the better of you and take it home to see what is on it.

[Peter Goodey]

Just to let you know that there has been a spate of the old method of spreading viruses. If you should see a cd left on some counter or cafe table, then your best bet is to leave it there and not let curiosity get the better of you and take it home to see what is on it.If what you say is true, why should the routine precaution of anti-virus scanning not be an adequate safeguard?

[Mike_E]

If what you say is true, why should the routine precaution of anti-virus scanning not be an adequate safeguard?

A good question, but as an IT pro responsible for Anti Virus protection where I work, scanning is only as good as the current known viruses. A new one which has yet to be seen in the wild could infect your PC and be the start of an outbreak.

I use multiple scanners, and don't just rely on one vendors product. My best advice is to be careful at all times and don't become another Trogan PC sending out spam mail and copies of a virus.

Rgds
Mike

[Bengie]

It has probably something to do with curiosity.
I don't think there are many who would pop the disc in and do a scan before opening it to see what is on it, and the virus could be installed by an auto start disc.
It is easy to have a disc auto run something and then look as though it hadn't done anything, in that case you would think it was the normal seek being a bit slow opening the disc.

There is also a warning about blank emails as well. A number of blank emails have been received that come from the email address they are sent to ie from bengie@email to bengie@email.
The authorities who monitor these things say they have no idea what they are and a check reveals nothing wrong with them, but they fear someone is doing a trial prior to some nasty being released.