Because of the number of viruses introduced every day, no anti-virus software is effective all the time. Any security plan also should also include regular back-up of your data.


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LATEST SECURITY THREATS

Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse is a generic name for any of the many malicious, security-breaking programs out there that are disguised as something benign, such as a directory listing, archiver, game, or (in one notorious 1990 case on the Mac) a program to find and destroy viruses! A Trojan Horse is similar to a back door into a computer.

Back Orifice is distributed to unsuspecting users via IRC or e-mail and, when run, it starts a server that runs in the background. This lets a user connect to others' computers and gain complete control of their machines. The invader can then do such things as remove files, upload files, and obtain passwords. It is imperative that you NOT run programs that people send you without knowing the contents. The link below is a file that will detect and remove the Back Orifice Trojan. Please download it and run it if you have run any files recently from the Web and/or IRC.

For information and software for detection and removal CLICK HERE.

Netbus

Netbus is a remote administration Trojan Horse program similar to Back Orifice. Hackers from anywhere in the world who have the Netbus Client program can sneak into infected computers without their owners' permission or knowledge. The remote hacker can obtain any information, including passwords. He can execute programs, copy files, read email, plant other Trojans or viruses, monitor keystrokes, control the infected computer's mouse and much more. As can be imagined, this will cause a serious security risk to the infected computer.

Netbus Ver 1.5 first appeared in March 1998, Ver 1.6 in August 1998, and Ver 1.7 in November 1998. Each version is reported to have affected inestimable numbers of users.

Melissa is one of the newest and most serious computer threats to be sprung upon the public of late—not because of the real damage it can cause, but mostly because of the nuisance it creates. Melissa's nature is to "gum up" e-mail traffic by overloading servers. When unsuspecting recipients who use Microsoft Word and Outlook programs open e-mail attachments that are apparently sent by friends or colleagues, Melissa takes charge. The virus automatically sends messages containing, for example, porn site passwords and addresses to the top 50 entries in the infected computers' address books. The 50 who open the E-mail attachment receive the same treatment, and so on.

Chernobyl is another name for the CIH computer virus that rears its head every April 26, which is the same date as the Russian nuclear power plant disaster of the same name. All variants of the CIH virus delete the first 2048 bytes on a hard drive, essentially reformatting it. In addition, the virus attempts to rewrite the basic instructions, or BIOS, of the computer, which are stored in a chip on the computer's motherboard.

Media reports in the wake of the March 1999 Melissa virus outbreak also warned that the Chernobyl virus could wreak havoc. As a result, measures taken to fight Melissa stunted the spread of Chernobyl, as corporations and individuals downloaded the latest anti-virus wares.


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ONLINE RESOURCES

Informational sites:
www.avp.com/
www.drsolomon.com/vircen/
www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html

Netbus and other Trojans:
www.pspl.com/trojan_info/win32/netbus.htm
www.datafellows.com/v-descs/netbus.htm
www.symantec.com/avcenter/warn/backorifice.html
www.columbia.edu/acis/networks/rhno/security/

For Mac Users:
www.macvirus.com/

Downloads:
www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/utilities98/download.html
www.commandcom.com/
www.drsolomon.com/download/home/index.cfm
www.symantec.com/us.index.html
download.mcafee.com