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Posted: 6/5/2002 12:54:12 PM EDT
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:06:42 PM EDT
[#1]
One hint nowadays, when you reinstall an OS, or rebuild a system, get your antivirus and firewall software on it BEFORE you even THINK about setting up your email access.

Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:15:38 PM EDT
[#2]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:16:28 PM EDT
[#3]
Use norton Ghost to create an image of your HD right after a new install, so when MS's crap OS goes kaput you can just throw the image back on.  A lot faster than starting from scratch. again and again.

Better yet.  Use Linux.  Dual boot the machine so you have a win partition for stuff you must still do on win.

Mike
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:26:21 PM EDT
[#4]
Wait a minute there beer...did you reinstall a MS OS....you installed your own virus.....
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:27:15 PM EDT
[#5]
Get a Mac! No one bothers to write viruses for that.
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:34:54 PM EDT
[#6]
Since I doubt you will get a new OS (linux can be hard for people who have never used it before) my suggestion would be to [b]use a different program to check your mail![/b]

I assume that you have enough common sense to not make yourself an opt-in target (ie, you dont install attachments without verification).

I've used the mail program that comes with Netscape sucessfully. If you dont use Netscape, might I suggest Eudora? Both are free...

Jonathan
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:41:24 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Since I doubt you will get a new OS (linux can be hard for people who have never used it before) my suggestion would be to [b]use a different program to check your mail![/b]

I assume that you have enough common sense to not make yourself an opt-in target (ie, you dont install attachments without verification).

I've used the mail program that comes with Netscape sucessfully. If you dont use Netscape, might I suggest Eudora? Both are free...

Jonathan
View Quote


Yep, use mail software that doesn't automatically launch an attachment.  You can probably configure Microsoft Lookout...err...Outlook to do this, but there are better email clients out there.
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:41:32 PM EDT
[#8]
What do you want to bet these Hackers live in their parents basements, wear Star Wars t- shirts, eat Twinkies, and have never been laid. Damn them. Damn them all to Hell.  [50]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:45:37 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!!!!!!!

I spent all night rebuilding my pc due to microsofts wonderful OS's that like to corrupt themselves. I get home all happy to check my email and gues what!
1st message downloads
disables my antivirus software and nukes my new win xp load! All by itself. never even gave me the option to see if it had an attachment.

I'd like to believe there is a special place on the 9th plane of hell for the people that write this crap. I don't keep anything of value on my home pc, but it's still a waste of time rebuilding it over and over again.


mike
View Quote


You were running some form of Outlook, right?

Let me state, that as a professional hacker/infosec professional, using a Microsoft mail program is about the single dumbest thing anyone can do.

Sure, it's bad that some loser with poor people skills, who's probably all of 15, decided to be funny and write the worm that infected your computer, but Microsoft has had this problem and variations on it since Outlook was first put out.  And they have no plans to fix it.  I suggest Eudora if it's still free.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:47:35 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Better yet.  Use Linux.  Dual boot the machine so you have a win partition for stuff you must still do on win.
View Quote


I'll put my OpenBSD box against your linux box any day.  And don't think I'm Linux bashing.  I've bought Linus a beer before, and have the pics to prove it. [:D]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:52:33 PM EDT
[#11]
I'd like to believe there is a special place on the 9th plane of hell for the people that write this crap.
View Quote

Are you talking about the few kiddies that write a virus or Bill Gates' company that keeps releasing virus toolkits for the kids to take advantage of?  Put the blame where it is due.  A few malicious kids or a company that makes it a policy to intentionally release products that have problems?  A company that releases, pushes, and doesn't fix things like ActiveX or the concept of automatically running VB scripts or executable programs in an e-mail?  Just today, Microsoft was caught putting yet another "feature" into IE that allows any web page to execute any arbitrary program.  You canblame some kid, but it's Micrsoft that keeps doing this to consumers over and over again.z
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 1:57:30 PM EDT
[#12]
i agree, use another product other than outlook, outlook is exploited by almost every email virus out there...netscape mail is what i use, and rest of family computers use eudora...never had a problem that wasnt human error induced.
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 2:04:13 PM EDT
[#13]
I stopped using Outlook(Lookout is a better word for it) a long time ago, it seems like 90% of all viruses are geared specifically to exploit it. Definitely use something else.
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 2:11:25 PM EDT
[#14]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 4:15:07 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Better yet.  Use Linux.  Dual boot the machine so you have a win partition for stuff you must still do on win.
View Quote


I'll put my OpenBSD box against your linux box any day.  And don't think I'm Linux bashing.  I've bought Linus a beer before, and have the pics to prove it. [:D]
View Quote


I'm not going to argue with you.  OpenBSD is good stuff, I just have a personal preference for redhat linux, been able to use it with the least amount of screwing around.  ANY UNIX / Linux operating system truly is superior to MS crap, but it is much harder to use and get working properly.  

Mike
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 8:35:27 PM EDT
[#16]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 8:40:40 PM EDT
[#17]
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 9:11:16 PM EDT
[#18]
I couldn't agree more. The best advice posted here is *DONT USE ANY VERSION OF OUTLOOK!!!*

After my second re-install of everything due to inadvertent crash/data corruption caused by outlook, I switched to Eudora and haven't had a single problem since then.

If you do NOTHING else, stop using Outlook. (Do it for the children.)

With several sites that I maintain they are under *constant* (24x7x365) attack mainly by password crackers and traders, so I definitely understand your anger.
There are plenty of times when I'd love to find one of these fu[kers and take a 10lb engineers hammer to his kneecap. But unfortunately it's just something that comes with the territory...so I try to contain the damage/cost and move on.

Good luck with your re-install.

-Observer

Link Posted: 6/5/2002 9:25:18 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:


I'd like to believe there is a special place on the 9th plane of hell for the people that write this crap.
View Quote


There is, its right next to the Arab terrorists and their '72 virgins'
Link Posted: 6/5/2002 9:34:24 PM EDT
[#20]
Link Posted: 6/6/2002 2:59:02 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Get a Mac! No one bothers to write viruses for that.
View Quote


Hell no one bother to write ANYTHING for Mac. I here PacMan is still considered Mac Game of the Year in 2002 [;D]
Link Posted: 6/6/2002 7:33:45 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
Get a Mac! No one bothers to write viruses for that.
View Quote


And nobody bothers to make bookends anymore now that we have macs.  Their much more stylish than the traditional bookends.

Mike
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