this seems like it might be firewalls related... ;)
spiff
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 9 Nov 1999 22:02:12 -0000
From: Anonymous <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: bubbleboy
Tuesday November 9 3:42 PM ET
New Computer Virus 'Bubbleboy' Found
By Duncan Martell
PALO ALTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered what
they believe to be the first e-mail-borne computer infection that
doesn't require a user to open an e-mail or e-mail attachment for it to
wreak havoc.
Dubbed ``Bubbleboy'' after an episode of TV sitcom ''Seinfeld,'' the
virus is known as a worm because it is self-propagating. Researchers at
antivirus software firm Network Associates Inc (Nasdaq:NETA -
news). received the computer infection anonymously Monday night at
about 10 p.m. local time.
``Historically, as long as you don't open e-mail attachments you're safe
from virus infection, but this changes all that,'' said Sal Viveros, a
marketing manager at Network Associates. ''We've finally come to the
point where if you're using e-mail, specifically (Microsoft Corp
(Nasdaq:MSFT - news).'s) Outlook, you need to have some sort of
virus protection or you shouldn't read e-mail.''
Although the Bubbleboy virus that researchers received last night
didn't cause harm such as deleting files or stealing passwords, it won't
be long before variants crop up that are indeed destructive, Viveros
said.
``In this case, it's just sending itself all over the place but it could fairly
easily delete files or steal passwords,'' Viveros said.
Bubbleboy appears as an e-mail with ``Bubbleboy is Back!'' in the
subject line and includes pictures and sounds from the Seinfeld episode
that gave it its name.
Bubbleboy follows other e-mail-borne viruses that have already swept
the Internet such as the ``ExploreZip worm,'' which can erase files
from a user's computer, and the Melissa virus, which gained notoriety
for its ability to spread quickly but not because it destroyed any data.
Network Associates gave Bubbleboy a ``low risk'' classification for
now because customers haven't yet notified it that the virus has
appeared on their computers.
What makes this worm particularly nefarious is that if a user is
running Outlook Express and has the preview pane enabled, the worm
can infect the computer without the user even opening the e-mail.
The preview pane in Outlook Express lets users scan e-mails to see
their contents without having to open them first. Other e-mail
programs such as Exchange and Lotus Notes are also vulnerable,
Viveros said.
``Now just by reading an e-mail you can be infected, and if you're using
Outlook Express you don't even need to read it,'' Viveros said. The
worm will then send itself to everyone listed in that e-mail program's
address book.
Bubbleboy refers to a Seinfeld episode in which a boy who lives in a
bubble because of a faulty immune system is a big fan of Jerry Seinfeld,
who plays himself as a stand-up comic on the popular series. Jerry and
George Castanza, a friend of Jerry's, visit the boy and play Trivial
Pursuit.
But the answer on one of the cards is misspelled, and the boy in the
bubble and George get into a fight. The fight ends with George
accidentally popping the boy's bubble.
``But unfortunately, this virus is not very funny,'' Viveros said.
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