A real Virus for Newsgroup participants

Post by **gmattson** » Sat Feb 20, 1999 7:17 pm

I've seen this one and fortunately did not activate it. Go to http://uechi-ryu.com/gallery/virus_warning.htm

The Cyberdojo was infected with this virus and before the warning got out, I'm sure many activated the file. It says HAPPY99.exe It looks like the kind of on-line greeting card links people send with their email. Because the name can be changed to anything.exe, I'd recommend being very careful about activating executable files received with email! Unfortunately, the sender isn't aware that his/her email has this file attached, since the reproductive process is part of the virus.

We see a lot of hoax virus warnings. . . I've actually seen this file attached to email. . . so far it only is attached to newsgroup mailings.

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GEM

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Sun Feb 21, 1999 12:36 am

I saw that file 2 days ago when I went to read the cyber dojo but got nervous and deleted it. Then today, the idiot in me saw it again and dl'd it. Then being a bigger idiot I clicked on it. Nothing happened so I deleted it. Then I read the above. Ran out and bought Dr. Solomons. Ran the SOS disk, installed the program, got the latest drivers and signatures and luckily... I came up clean. I don't know why I never had a virus in my machine. Massive luck I guess. I used a borrowed (and old) Mcaffee virus scan but never came up with one.

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Sun Feb 21, 1999 12:47 am

just read the info on this SKA virus. I am off to do the removal process. I kick myself 20 reps next workout.

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Sun Feb 21, 1999 3:31 pm

Anthony,

I always suspected that the anti virus authors also create the virus's. No virus, no business. Anyway, Dr Solomons does the same thing. They also have weekly updates you can dl for free. It was a toss up. I think Mcafee, solomon, and Norton are probably like Duracell or Eveready. About the same. BTW: I had absolutly nothing with SKA on my drive. Never saw any skyrockets and I think I just plain lucked out.

Scott

moulton · Post by **moulton** » Sun Feb 21, 1999 3:59 pm

The big three for virus protection are:

McCaffey's .(pronounced Mak'uhffee)
Dr. Solomon's. (once you had to uninstall McAffee before installing the good doctor's else the registry got blown away (on NT), and the famous
Norton's Anti-virus.

I tend to favor McCaffe although they are all good and inexpensive these days and the freebies on the internet can be dubious.

KOT p · Post by **KOT p** » Mon Feb 22, 1999 5:52 am

Once again people are spreading the wild fire about a "virus" thats not a "virus".
happy.exe or what ever it is is more or less a display of some ones talent to write a good demo.I doubt many of you are familar with what a demo is, but if your curious its from back in the good ole' days of Win 3.11 or dos 5.0 `nuff said you can research it on your own. A virus would actually do something key words DO SOMETHING "bad" to your pc not just display a show then go away. Any way have fun and remeber keep those virus scanners updated and keep checking Micro$ofts web site for more patches to I.E.4 for those security bugs that where only yesterday theory and not possible.

KOT p

Post by **gmattson** » Mon Feb 22, 1999 5:57 am

Noticed in today's Cyberdojo newsgroup, quite a few people, who were unaware of the HAPPY99.EXE potential danger, sent letters in, wondering why they could not make the file actually "execute"!!!

Obviously, they did not see the fireworks display, which is the trademark of this particular virus. Does this mean that the file is harmless and perhaps a hoax, or simply a mutated form of the virus, that did not exhibit any visual display, but sits quietly within the system, waiting . . .

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GEM

[This message has been edited by gmattson (edited 02-21-99).]

moulton · Post by **moulton** » Wed Feb 24, 1999 10:22 pm

This is a good virus link. enjoy.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/ct945.htm<font color=blue>

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Allen at [email]uechi@ici.net">uechi@ici.net</A> on <A HREF="http://www.uechi-ryu.org[/email]

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Fri Feb 26, 1999 2:32 am

Anthony, the link is not working, can you try it again.

Thanks,
Scott

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Scotty's Place
members.aol.com/scotttd/mm.htm

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Fri Feb 26, 1999 11:16 am

Anthony,

I'm on earthlink now. I have aol as a bring your own access account but I dial up through earthlink. It seems I have everry newsgroup on earth, but I'll try again.

Scott

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Scotty's Place
members.aol.com/scotttd/mm.htm

Scott Danziger · Post by **Scott Danziger** » Sat Feb 27, 1999 2:29 am

Anthony,

AOL charges 9.95 to connect via TCP/IP. I am on for only a little bit a day now as I am really enjoying the speed of being aol free. Between earthlink and the internet boost99 program I sometimes fly at up to 6.2 kb/sec (best I've seen so far) on some sites.

BTW: you can change the email link in the links to my earthlink email. Thanks.

Scott

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Scotty's Place
members.aol.com/scotttd/mm.htm

Dakkon98 · Post by **Dakkon98** » Mon Mar 01, 1999 2:26 am

The following warning message is currently circulating. Please forward it to
everybody you know so that they can be warned.

JOIN THE PENPAL GREETINGS GOODTIME CREW VIRUS

Hi, and congratulations. Because you have opened this e-mail, you obviously
either have never received a hoax virus warning about e-mails, or if you did
you didn't take any notice.

The bad news is that by reading this message, a virus may have already
infected your computer. Its effect is to fill your screen with timewasting
gibberish, fill part of your hard disk with useless text and clog up your
network with e-mail that spreads to everyone in your organisation.

Furthermore, it has been found that this virus can WIPE YOUR HARD DISK, simply
by the user opening
the message, then going to a DOS prompt and typing FORMAT C:. That's how
deadly it can be!

But the really dangerous part is a new scary development in virus-writing
which can actually affect the
computer user, rather than the computer. People who come into contact with
this virus will die within 100
years of reading this message! There is no cure for death at this time, so
please be very careful!

The virus spreads by human gullibility. Please forward this message
immediately to everyone else who might need to see this warning.

Dakkon98 · Post by **Dakkon98** » Mon Mar 01, 1999 5:08 am

Hhehehe i just read this in one of the mails I get from a MCSE list.
Lots of humor and some of the best links to virii nfo and hoax nfo around.
-----------------------------------------------
WARNING - SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ALIVE! NOW! NO RIGHT NOW!
-----------------------------------------------------
Virus warnings and chain letters that require your immediate attention are brain draining and cause you to give up "real" time with people you love for "insane" time that you will NEVER retrieve. See related web sites - VISIT THEM NOW!
1.. http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
2.. http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/librar ... 3&cob=home
3.. http://kumite.com/myths/
4.. http://www.nonprofit.net/hoax/hoax.html#Famous%20Hoaxes
If you do not send this to everyone within the next 24 hours you will have very BAD LUCK for 8 days straight (followed by very good luck - maybe). You will go bald 2 years before you were genetically programmed to, and you will begin to doubt your gender orientation? Send quick before disaster befalls you.
--------------------------------------------------

Enjoy and be well
Dakkon98
<damn forum forgot who i was, now computers are getting senile>

moulton · Post by **moulton** » Mon Mar 01, 1999 6:05 am

AFTER all this, someone whom I suspect reads these forums, sent me HAPPY99.EXE on Friday.

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Allen at [email]uechi@ici.net">uechi@ici.net</A> on <A HREF="http://www.uechi-ryu.org[/email]

[This message has been edited by moulton (edited 03-01-99).]

Dakkon98 · Post by **Dakkon98** » Mon Mar 01, 1999 3:04 pm

uh Tony,
i got it and tried to go to a DOS prompt but for some reason win 98 kept asking all these questions so i deceided the virus protection i had must be working >:}
LOL
Mr. Moulton
One thing i do to help keep from getting files and attachments is to set my mail program not to download files bigger then 5k
that way i get the message header and can see what is on the server and make a choice as to download or delete it!!
I think all mail programs allow you to do this.plus it helps keeps you from getting a hugh 1/2meg file when you only really have time to check your mail real quick