Be Virus & Hacker Resistant!

1. Do not accept "security patches" or "updates" which arrive by e-mail.

• MICROSOFT DOES NOT SEND UPDATES/PATCHES BY E-MAIL

• Go directly to the Microsoft Windows Update web site and download the appropriate patches.

2. Keep a current anti-virus program (symantec and mcafee are the two most commonly used) installed and protection enabled at all times. Be faithful about downloading and installing updates to your particular program. An anti-virus program which is not kept up-to-date is worthless.

3. Do not open executable files (usually identified as *.exe; but this may be hidden) that are received by e-mail or chat.

4. Do not open unexpected files received by e-mail or chat.

5. Finally, do not pass on "rumors" of viruses, which are a pernicious form of chain-letter. Check it out first! I hope this helps some.

We have seen a major "evolution" of computer viruses. Earlier there were viruses that disabled ant-virus software and prevented the downloading of protection against them.

More recently we have seen viruses (Swen is one of them) that comes as an e-mail that appears to be from Microsoft, and asking you to download a "patch" or "update." While this virus is easily detected by up-to-date anti-virus software (at least Norton/Symantec and McAfee) as it is coming in, the virus cannot be removed by either of these programs once it has established itself. (The last week I have received 10-15 of these messages every day) There are specific "tools" for removing them available at either Norton (Symantec) or McAfee web sites.This virus is especially troublesome because Microsoft *has* released several very important security and update patches in the last few months. Please be careful.

Some suggestions:

Dwight Stinnett
ABC Great Rivers Region

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