Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12418&Form.ShowMessage=1392476

I posted this in the OT forum, but I'm adding a link here, since it's probably something that affects other Renderosity members or anyone who buys from DAZ. Briefly, I just got 6 weird e-mails from Rosity, DAZ, etc, all containing a file attachment with 'Your details'. I deleted them immediately, but I'm wondering if anyone else got them. Whoever sent them obviously knows all the places I buy from and visit. It's highly suspicious that all these sites would send 'my details' at the same time. Please read the thread if it's happened to you. mac

No - it means someone(s) with DAZ, Renderosity etc. in their address books has an infected system that is sending out infected messages under false labels (so that they are harder to backtrack, not to fool you into opening them).

Interesting.... In the linked thread, Alleycat says they're legit. Well, I always err on the side of caution in these matters. It'll be a cold day in hell before I open an e-mail attachment if I don't know about it beforehand. mac

I've just received a "your email can not be delivered" from an address I did not send to, complete with complimentary virus attached. Its the easiest thing in the world to put a false address in your email "Reply To" field. I guess some bright spark feels its time to give the 3D crowd a run for their money.

Chant the mantra with me.....

I will never....

Come on lets here you ..... I will never

That's better..... I will never
Open any
Email attachments
Unless I know
Truly know
What they are

Amen, Phil C. And, by the way, a lot of email lists I'm on (for development and library staff) are being hit with a message sent to the group that says, "Thank you," and see attachment, and the attachment is a virus. You can't be too careful these days.

The "Your details" zip contains a PIF file, which is a program - almost certainly a virus/trojan given how it spreads.

LOL....you got that right. Sharen

Some really good e-mail advice: - don't ever use anything ELSE except web-based email, PERIOD. Never use Outlook Express for in-coming mail, or any other e-mail client that actually DOWNLOADS e-mail into your computer. Don't accept anything except text based e-mail. If you find this too strict a measure- well, you haven't learned yet what hackers can do. With good web-based e-mail you see the headers, message content and any attachments. Be SUSPICIOUS of EVERY e-mail you get. If anything doesn't look quite right, don't hesitate to delete it. Also keep the MOST current version of Norton Internet Security and Anti-Virus on your computer and subscribe to their automatic update service. Some people may prefer other software- as long as it really works.

It's mailbombing the entire campus where I work today. Fortunately our ITS staff has filters which substitute a warning message for the original attachment, and my copy of K9 uses its AI to recognize and refile it to the Spam folder. Whatever it is, is clearly combing someone's Outlook address book and replicating that way. This is one of the reasons why Outlook is verboten in our building as an email client.

Somebody made a stupid joke using the reply e-mail of daz and renderosity.. I got this too : 'Your details' as RHaseltine said.. with nothing else as the PIF file only.. but don't downloaded from the web server.. Cath

Attached Link: http://news.com.com/2100-1002_3-5065494.html

It's probably due to the increased activity of the Sobig worm.

Thanks for the link, milamber. Looks like that's the one, allright. mac

"Sobig worm"... hmm... any linkage with those penile enlargement ads? (OK, OK, that was really bad... but I'm not sorry.) Carolly

Hmm. I use hotmail exclusively, and today there was a "mail could not be delivered" return email about 90k in size, consisting mostly of garbage. Also an attachment. Needless to say, in the bin it went straight away. I'd been wondering what it was -- now I know. Only use webmail. M.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1391093

I posted to this thread (No-22) and the same post reappeared at No.33 , but at a time when I was NOT ON LINE. The admins are informed.

Carolly "Sobig worm"... hmm... any linkage with those penile enlargement ads? (OK, OK, that was really bad... :) It wasn't that bad, it got me to laffing, good 1.

Attached Link: http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virus.aspx?ID=36376

Virus Alert Notification Win32.Sobig.F Alias: I-Worm.Sobig.f (Kaspersky) , W32.Sobig.F@mm (Symantec), W32/Sobig.F (F-Secure), W32/Sobig.f@MM (McAfee), WORM_SOBIG.F (Trend) Category: Win32 Type: Worm Published Date: 8/19/2003 Last Modified: 8/19/2003 CHARACTERISTICS Win32.Sobig.F is a worm which spreads via e-mail using its own SMTP engine. Method of Distribution Via Email It arrives in a message with one of the following subjects: Re: Thank you! Thank you! Your details Re: Details Re: Re: My details Re: Approved Re: Your application Re: Wicked screensaver Re: That movie The attachment name is chosen at random from the following list: your_document.pif document_all.pif thank_you.pif your_details.pif details.pif document_9446.pif application.pif wicked_scr.scr movie0045.pif The message body reads either: Please see the attached file for details. or See the attached file for details The worm is reported to spoof the 'From' address, so that it appears to come from a different address than that of the affected machine. The worm appears to search files with the following extensions for e-mail addresses to send to: txt eml html htm dbx wab Method of Installation When run, the worm copies itself to the Windows directory with the following file name: %Windows%WINPPR32.EXE It also creates another file in the Windows directory: %Windows%WINSTT32.DAT Note: '%Windows%' is a variable location. The worm determines the location of the current Windows folder by querying the operating system. The default installation location for the Windows directory for Windows 2000 and NT is C:Winnt; for 95,98 and ME is C:Windows; and for XP is C:Windows. It then creates the following registry values so WINPPR32.EXE runs whenever Windows starts: HKCUSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunTrayX = "C:WINDOWSwinppr32.exe /sinc" HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunTrayX = "C:WINDOWSwinppr32.exe /sinc" Note: These registry values are only set if the keys already exist. For example, the second value might not be created on Windows 98 systems because the key HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun does not usually exist. Additional Information The worm is coded to stop replicating as of 10th September 2003.

just checked my mail for the first time today- had 9 of them in it all from different sources.

Xena, you've got the right description. This one has been going around for awhile. I got one from Microsoft :) Of course....it wasn't really from Microsoft at all. Think someone already said this, but unless you're expecting an attachment from someone, don't open it. Also get a good virus scanning software (Norton is my recommendation), set it to scan your email and check for new virus definitions daily. It has saved my behind many times!

I got 'em from Daz, Poser Pros, Renderosity, Zrinc, Microsoft, MusicCity, etc, etc. This is the most I've ever been sent rolls eyes I just don't get the mentality of people who willfully make things purely to be a pain in the butt, or destroy things shrug

I was getting up to 300 spams a day, about 25% contained virii and worms. Got a new email address and have been free of junk for two months. Won't last but nice for now. I hate web-based mail and don't use it. I use Eudora and Norton. Even though I keep up-to-date with definitions stuff gets by Norton sometimes so be careful.

I use Pegasus Mail. What's a really cool feature of Pegasus is that I can check my email before actually downloading it. Its a feature called 'selective download' ... what I can do with it is check the headers and see when there's an attachment. If there is an attachment from someone that didn't previously tell me they were sending me an attachment and what it is... my routine is to delete it before it ever is downloaded.

I just got a ton of mail cannot be delivered that were loaded with attached viruses. I usually check to see if the person the mail was sent to was in my mailbox-- a virus could get through-- none of these were. I wish these virus jerks would get over it. I open no attachments that aren't labeled as purchases I know I bought or fractal formulas-- the only other things I legitimately get as email. Emily

You coud just buy a spankin new g5 with poser 5 for osx and not worry about these kiddie scripters viruses!! but seriously, Im a PC admin by day mac user by night... Please everyone make sure you get an anitvirus program and UPDATE your definitions... Dont use outlook express ever as its horribly prone to passing infected email... you NEED to have antivirus on yer PC's guys...

Hmmm. For my security I use hotmail for all my e-mail, and forget using my isp's e-mail account that was assigned to me. I also use mailwasher to keep spam at bay. It's a really great program. Topping things off I use mcafee's new anti-virus program now in beta, and deleted from my system outlook express, and microsoft office outlook. Never open anything if I don't know what it is. Have mcafee's firewall installed (the new beta), use lavasofts ad-aware, real time cookie cleaner, popup and privacy defender for ie, and who's on to take care of the web page I host using the built in web server with xp. Can you say paranoid. LOL

I use Norton Antivirus and Zone Alarm and have a hardware firewall... lol I guess I am paranoid too g I'd love to have a Mac G5 but they are too expensive pour moi... sniff, sniff as I really like the Mac.

Using web based email will not really protect you. Malicious Java script or VBS is quite easy to put on an HTML message and if the email software at the web-based host does not scan for it, it can do as much damage as an executable trojan. I use a number of lines of defense. A good virus checker helps. Never execute anything you didn't actually ask for and check it for viruses first with an up-to-date checker. Install and use a good firewall. I use two of them and what one doesn't lock out, the other catches. Use a good TEXT-based email client that does not auto-display HTML in messages and that segregates attachments without running them. Personally, I keep a working copy of Outlook Express on my system at all times. It's worm bait. If a worm tries to hijack OE, it will succeed. But OE is not permitted internet privileges by my firewalls, thus any attempt by it to send something raises an alarm. Mind you, the only worm I have ever actually caught was an executable that I ran without thinking one day when I was groggy. And that was before I put these measures in place. Took me two days to run down all its pieces and rub it out.

Some of these (at least) were from me, sorry about this, guys. I got infected with this early today and I couldn't get it cleaned off, everytime I tried to get to McAfee or whatwever to update my viris dat files (which were all of 6 days old) it would send out another bunch, which would then halt after about 5 went out and in the process more-or-less lock up the computer. I finally had to reinstall Win 2000 and go from page 1 to fix it, which took most of today.

Mailwasher Pro ROX!!!!! I got nearly 100 of these little boogers today...none of them made it to my computer thanks to Mailwasher...

Yes! Mailwasher will generally flag them! I forgot to mention that.

thankfully my ISP screens them, and I screen on my machine ..whoo man. I got about 40 notifications from my ISP that they filtered out viruses, and mine killed one yesterday ...for KLEZ of all things grin. Makes me want to cower in my little bunker and not come out. As for web based email only? nah .. I use Eudora and McAffee's V-shield. Works like a charm :) Just avoid Outlook at all costs

I too was going to mention mail washer... nice program, and the one I have was free... It's old though, but does the trick.

Attached Link: http://www.mailwasher.net/

MailWasher is great, it lets you preview all e-mails on server level. Even if you use Outlook or some other mail client, MailWasher makes sure that nothing ends up on your computer that you don't want there. It also automatically filters out spam using DNS-based blacklists.

Yep, MailWasher is excellent, have the free one and didn't know that there is a pro version available. Have to check that out. And using Outlook isn't dangerous, you just need a good AntiVirus, a Firewall and MailWasher.

Earthlink very kindly gets rid of those worm-laden things before I ever see them. You guys are talking about 100 or more a day? It has been perhaps a year since a message with virus-filled attachment has come into my mailbox at all... which is when Norton does its stuff. (I do get penile enlargement ads and solicitations for low mortgage rates, but that is what the junk filter is for.) I set the machine to autmatically open exe and pif and vbs and such as text files (you can also set the preferences to open them in your favorite graphics app... like something which went obsolete 10 years ago). This way, even if something should sneak by, it can't do anything. Anybody who uses Outlook Express for their mail program is due for a brain transplant. If there are no addresses in the book, even if a virus should get through and even if it should manage to convince DeluxePaint to make it work... there isn't anybody it can contact to brag about the feat. Carolly

Anybody who uses Outlook Express for their mail program is due for a brain transplant. Sorry, anyone telling such things too. Since 5 years I am using Outlook and I never got any virus or worm or whatever. If people are stupid enough to go online without a Antivirus and Firewall - and there are enough who think they don't need that kind of protection because they are only a few minutes online and only send mails to friends - should blame themselfes if they catch a virus. Dummheit wird bestraft ;-).

Well of course it does not help to have Microsoft Windows. It's really amazing that after all the years it's been out, with all the add ons like the Microsoft Windows servers, etc. That they can't develop a more secure product line. I swear you have to goto Microsoft's web site every week just to download, and install another security patch. And don't get me started on the scripting languages. LOL. They are nice for HTML work, (I still code using notepad, and have yet to use something like Frontpage). But to me they represent a major security problem. Brad.

I know I am going to hate myself for saying this, but I have never gotten a virus, never had a problem with any Windows operating system and never had a problem with Outlook Express. Although I don't use Outlook Express anymore and haven't for about 2 years now. I stay updated on news, updated on Virus protection and never open an attachments I don't already know is coming. Sharen PS: and back up everything.

I've received a virus or two on my computer, but I've never gotten a virus infection, knock on wood. But I practice safe computing... the two that got by never came through email, they came through website exploits, and still never were able to infect my computer as my virus software caught them.

I'm not exactly Microsoft's biggest fan, and their software could undoubtedly be improved. On the other hand, they're currently the biggest. You could bet that if someone else wrote better operating systems and managed to bite off the biggest market share, then they'd automatically also become the biggest target for malicious attacks of the digital variety. In an ideal world, doors wouldn't need locks. Sometimes I'd really like to be able to opt out of the human race. :(

Have used Outlook from the beginning and never regretted it. To have to be on a website to read over 300 mail? Not bloody likely... and the one I used for sign-ups to prevent spam went bust without warning. Who needs that. If people don't know how to handle a Firewall, they don't belong on the internet or at least should keep quiet when things go snap crackle pop at night.

How to avoid viruses: 1) Use Virus software that is updated regularly, and scans incoming email (I check for updates every day....and no, I don't accept "auto updates" from anyone...not even Norton or Microsoft). 2) Have firewall protection that is updated regularly. 3) Visit Windows Updates on a regular basis and install the Updates that are "necessary" for your computer....not all of them are (yes it does take time to read those "mumbo-jumbo" articles, but it's worth it!) 4) Have the good sense to "never, ever" open an email attachment that you are not expecting........even if it's from someone you know. Do all this (especially the last one) and chances are you will never get infected with a virus.