Virus Alerts/Hoax
Conficker Worm:
There have been many recent news articles about the Conficker worm which targets Microsoft Windows systems and its April 1st activation date. This is a very successful virus that can infect a Microsoft Windows system from a thumb drive, a network share, or directly across a network.
MSU systems that have been configured with automatic updates and anti-virus should be secure.
A useful note on the behavior of Conficker from the national US-CERT is included:
US-CERT Cyber Security Alert SA09-088A
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/alerts/SA09-088A.html
Extract:
Home users can apply a simple test for the presence of a
Conficker/Downadup infection on their home computers. The presence
of a Conficker/Downadup infection may be detected if a user is
unable to surf to their security solution website or if they are
unable to connect to the websites, by downloading detection/removal
tools available free from those sites:
* http://www.symantec.com/norton/theme.jsp?themeid=conficker_worm&inid=us_ghp_link_conficker_worm
* http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/worms/conficker.mspx
* http://www.mcafee.com
If a user is unable to reach any of these websites, it may indicate
a Conficker/Downadup infection. The most recent variant of
Conficker/Downadup interferes with queries for these sites,
preventing a user from visiting them.
ecard EMAIL VIRUS ALERT:
A new email-transmitted computer virus has been seen on campus today.
DO NOT attempt to extract the attachments in these messages, or your
machine could be infected with a virus.
Blocking of these email messages at the campus network border is now in place,
and updated virus definitions for Symantec antivirus are expected soon.
Legitimate greeting card providers have tips to identify fakes at:
http://newsroom.hallmark.com/Current-News/E-Card-Awareness
http://www.americangreetings.com/emailprotection/index.pd
In General:
Do not open email attachments in any unsolicited email messages.
Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.
Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.
Obtain software applications and updates directly from the vendor's website.
Install antivirus software, and keep the virus definitions up to date.
United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) notification:
"There are public reports of malicious code circulating via
spam email messages related to Valentine's Day. These messages contain
a link to a website that contains several images of hearts and
instructs users to choose one image. If users click on one of the
images, they will be prompted to download an executable file. Reports
indicate that the executable files could be named: youandme.exe,
onlyyou.exe, you.exe, and meandyou.exe (please note that these file
names may change at any time). If users accept the download, malicious
code may be installed onto their systems."
The impact to MSU of the recent fake "Hallmark" postcards and "IKEA New Planning Software" computer virus email were significant.
ITS had not yet received any reports of this message on campus. Please be
on guard for these ongoing virus and phishing attacks.
In General:
* Do not open email attachments in any unsolicited email messages.
* Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.
* Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
* Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.
* Obtain software applications and updates directly from the vendor's website.
* Install antivirus software, and keep the virus definitions up to date.
Further information about this alert is available at the US-CERT website. (www.us-cert.gov)
Fake "Hallmark" postcards and "IKEA New Planning Software"
A new email-transmitted computer virus has been seen on campus in large
numbers today.
The email messages are fake "Hallmark" postcards and "IKEA New Planning
Software".
DO NOT attempt to extract the "postcard.zip" or "ikea.zip" attachments in
these messages, or your machine could be infected with the W32.Ackantta@mm
virus.
Blocking of these email messages at the campus network border is now in place,
and updated virus definitions for Symantec antivirus are expected soon.
In General:
- Do not open email attachments in any unsolicited email messages.
- Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open unsolicited email messages.
- Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
- Use caution when visiting untrusted websites.
- Obtain software applications and updates directly from the
vendor's website.
- Install antivirus software, and keep the virus definitions up to
date.
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