Astromart Users and computer viruses

Herb, I wonder if it might be worth making a "public service announcement" on the Astromart classified board about the merits of running computer virus protection software. I have received the "Klez" email virus six times in the last three days, which wouldn't be so exceptional (it is the latest fast-spreading attachment virus) except that I've *never* received so much as a single virus in my years of being on the 'Net previously. I keep a very low cyber-profile (no news group postings, etc.), and the only thing that has changed of late is that I've been posting and answering more Astromart ads, including a flurry last week (just before the virus broke out). If you do correspond to someone about a classified ad, this places your email address in other party's Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express address book, where the Klez virus can find it. (FYI, Klez sends itself to every name in the infected user's address book, but randomly picks a second name from the address book to put on the email's "from" line to make it harder to attribute the source of infection.) The next time I get one of the infected messages I may keep it and take a closer look; I understand Klez is sloppy and leaves the real sender's email path at least one place in the header information.

My virus protection software (Norton Antivirus) caught all six infected files and deleted them before the email messages were downloaded, but I wonder how many other Astromart users are getting infected and spreading this unknowingly. There is free software that will clean up the Klez virus, and there are a plethora of free virus scanners/protection packages out there.

Has anyone else been hit with Klez this week?

Jim

I do not know if I have gotten this virus but I too have recieved about 6 emails from people that I have no idea who they with some pretty odd subjects. They all have attachments, but I have never opened them, I wonder if there are a virus? I just delete them all when I get them?

Who knows?


nate..