[B5JMS] ATTN JMS et al: Easy way to stop viri from affecting your computer

[b5jms-admin at cs.columbia.edu]

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From: Brian Watson <kerr at concentric.net>
Date: 18 Feb 2001 10:11:07 -0700
Lines: 44

JMS, you mentioned the problem of getting scripted viri in email since
so many people have your name in their addressbook.  Well I got this out
of the Kim Kommando newsletter, the Digital Goddess of computers, who is
well versed in all things electronic.

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The Kournikova virus is a VBS-based (Visual Basic Scripts)
worm bug, and while the spread of this virus has tapered off,
another VBS pest could appear at any time. Yikes!

Fortunately, there's an easy way to halt VBS bugs from
running their malicious scripts.

In Windows Explorer, open Folder Options under the
View menu (Tool menu in Windows ME).

Select the File Types tab and scroll to VBScript Script File.

Click on the Edit button (Advanced in Windows ME). A new
window will open showing the possible file actions,
with the default action shown in bold face type,
which is likely to be set to Open.

Highlight instead the word Edit and click on the
Set Default button. Edit should now appear in bold face.

If you have an older system and the Edit function doesn't
appear, select the New button and enter Edit in the action
field and Notepad.exe in the application field.

Once Edit appears, make it the default action.
While you're in the file-type screen, make sure the boxes
for Always Show Extension and Enable Quick View are
checked. Click OK to close the open windows.

Making this change will cause the VBS file to
harmlessly open in Notepad, rather than execute
the script and activate the virus.
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Hope it helps!




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 18 Feb 2001 15:26:24 -0700
Lines: 12

Cool, thanks, and I hope that can be of help to others as well.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2001 by synthetic worlds, ltd., 
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine 
and don't send me story ideas)




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