new wave of virus-laden emails
#1
11-22-2005, 03:42 PM
new wave of virus-laden emails
How many others here have been swamped with virus laden emails in the last couple days? Mine started about 2 days ago and I've been averaging one every 30 minutes for almost 2 days. Earthlink finally started blocking some of the attachments with their virus scanner about 2 hours ago but some are still getting through. At least it's only happening on one of my 4 email addresses.
Here's an article on it although I'm getting emails with all sorts of crap, not just the FBI stuff. Total email size is 75 kb with the .zip file attachment.
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/1....fgwrvypu.html
Here's an article on it although I'm getting emails with all sorts of crap, not just the FBI stuff. Total email size is 75 kb with the .zip file attachment.
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/1....fgwrvypu.html
#3
11-22-2005, 04:00 PM
OK, here's the text of the article:
The FBI warned Internet users about a scam involving e-mails appearing to come from the FBI, with a computer virus attached.
"These scam e-mails tell the recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the FBI and that they have accessed illegal websites," the law enforcement agency said in a statement.
"The e-mails then direct recipients to open an attachment and answer questions."
The FBI statement said recipients of this or similar messages "should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner."
The messages appear to be sent from an e-mail address such as mailAfbi.gov, postAfbi.gov, adminAfbi.gov or a similar address.
The Internet security firm Sophos said similar e-mails may appear to come from the Central Intelligence Agency, but it noted that both contain a strain of the Sober virus that has been spreading worldwide.
In a four-hour period Tuesday, the worm "has accounted for over 61 percent of all viruses reported to Sophos, making it currently the most prevalent virus spreading across the world."
It's not just Earthlink dropping the ball. My Norton antispam was allowing these emails through for the first day unchecked. After I reclassified the first 30-40 as spam, it finally started catching about 2/3 of them.
And why does Earthlink filter out the virus attachment but allow the email carrying the virus to pass through the system?
The FBI warned Internet users about a scam involving e-mails appearing to come from the FBI, with a computer virus attached.
"These scam e-mails tell the recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the FBI and that they have accessed illegal websites," the law enforcement agency said in a statement.
"The e-mails then direct recipients to open an attachment and answer questions."
The FBI statement said recipients of this or similar messages "should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner."
The messages appear to be sent from an e-mail address such as mailAfbi.gov, postAfbi.gov, adminAfbi.gov or a similar address.
The Internet security firm Sophos said similar e-mails may appear to come from the Central Intelligence Agency, but it noted that both contain a strain of the Sober virus that has been spreading worldwide.
In a four-hour period Tuesday, the worm "has accounted for over 61 percent of all viruses reported to Sophos, making it currently the most prevalent virus spreading across the world."
It's not just Earthlink dropping the ball. My Norton antispam was allowing these emails through for the first day unchecked. After I reclassified the first 30-40 as spam, it finally started catching about 2/3 of them.
And why does Earthlink filter out the virus attachment but allow the email carrying the virus to pass through the system?
Last edited by RockyJSquirrel; 11-22-2005 at 04:05 PM.
#4
11-22-2005, 04:03 PM
#6
11-22-2005, 04:14 PM
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