FWD: KLEZ again Virus Warning serious

[Guest guest]

A new warning about the Klez virus. Please make sure that you have a program

on your computer to protect your computer against viruses.

> A new variant of the Klez virus is now spreading over the Internet.

> Like earlier versions of Klez, this virus affects all Windows machines,

> takes advantage of a known security flaw in Outlook Express, spreads

> via email and through network shares, and replaces frequently-used

> program files with copies of itself. This new variant can also disguise

> copies of itself as .RAR archive files, and occasionally will send out

> an email message claiming that it is tool to remove the Klez.E virus.

> If you receive an email message with an attachment that claims to be a

> Klez removal tool, DO NOT activate the attachment.

>

> For more information on this worm, visit our website at

> http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/virus/alerts/klezh.shtml

>

> This message was sponsored by the Office of Information Technology.

> For further information, visit our website at: http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu

>

> ------------------

> * Original: FROM..... Dave Farber

>

>

>

> >From the New York imes --

> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/27/technology/27VIRU.html?todaysheadlines

>

> A New Risk to Computers Worldwide

> by Schwartz

>

> A rogue computer program that is the online equivalent of a quick-change

> artist is infecting computers around the world via e-mail and clogging

> computer networks.

>

> The program, W32/KLEZ.H, is a " blended threat, " combining elements of a

> virus, which infects machines, and a worm, which transports itself from

> machine to machine. It also tries to disable some antivirus programs.

>

> It makes itself hard for users to spot by changing its e-mail subject

> line, message and name of the attachment at random, drawing from a

> database that includes, for example, such subject lines as " Hello, honey, "

> and " A very funny website. "

>

> The program has grown increasingly common as users unknowingly activate it

> sometimes without even opening the e-mail attachment that carries the

> virus and allow it to send copies of itself to those in the victim's

> e-mail address file.

>

> " It is exploding, " said Peer, chief executive of Central Command, a

> computer security company.

>

> The rapid spread of the program caused Symantec and McAfee.com, two

> prominent computer protection companies, to upgrade their warnings about

> it in recent days; Symantec said on its Web site that it now considered

> the program a " category 4 " risk, its second-highest ranking.

>

> The program exploits vulnerable spots in computer programs, most notably a

> problem in earlier versions of Microsoft's mail programs, Outlook and

> Outlook Express, which allows some types of computer programs to be

> activated even if they are in the " preview pane. "

>

> The program can also grab files randomly from victims' hard drives and

> send them out, but it does little damage to the machines themselves,

> antivirus companies said.

>

> Microsoft has had patches available to fix these problems for more than a

> year, but many people do not keep their software up to date, said

> Weafer, the director of research at Symantec Security Response.

>

> Although most antivirus software programs already provided protection

> against the Klez family, the new variant has enough new wrinkles to trick

> some of the digital sentries. The latest versions of software have been

> updated to block the worm, and the companies offer free online tools to

> cleanse infected machines.

>

>

> Take care,

Irene

Books may well be the only true magic

Alice Hoffman