Still recovering from the gravel pit in my kidneys, I decided to check on different sites concerning the latest virus/worm problem known as W32.Blaster, Pova, LovSan, or Blaster. Fortunately this class 4 problem can be eliminated if you take prompt action and go to the windows update site and download the appropriate security patch immediately. Microsoft's update site is very slow, but still functioning. This is not the time to do ALL the updates. The pipe is being squeezed to the max. Finish your updates late this evening or during the night when traffic will be slower. This will help prevent a bottleneck or dos (denial of service). Also, AVG users might try late at night or early am. Their site, Symantec (Norton's), Trend Micro (P-Cillin) are all slow because of the last minute interest in this problem. If you are running McAfee's, nevermind - you'll never be protected by this lame company. TechTV, Microsoft and various sites have been warning about this bug for a while now. If you are running Windows 2000 (any flavor), Server 2003, XP (any flavor) or NT4 (any flavor) you need to protect your machines. So far the Windows ME, 98SE, 98 and 95 OS's are not subject to infection. Firewalls and routers seem to be preventing infection, but why take chances?
This is a direct quote from Patrick Norton of the Screensavers site:
In the first version of Blaster, a countdown clock face pops up and your system gets seriously unstable and restarts (a lot). Some reports say Blaster will launch a denial-of-service attack on the Windows Update website on August 16. Other reports say the attack will happen immediately.
The obnoxious thing about this worm? It'll load itself onto your system if you don't have the patch and you're not running a firewall. Forget about opening attached files online. This one can get ya if you simply go online.
The really nasty thing? The worm can run any code it wants to on your system. That could get ugly. Think total data loss.
The really, really nasty thing? Experts have told our Kevin Rose that the first Blaster worm wasn't written well. New versions of the worm with updated code are already out there. That counts for everybody running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, NT 4.0 Terminal Services Edition, 2000, XP, or Server 2003.
Patrick is a TechTV personality, show host, etc. This dude really knows his stuff as does Kevin Rose. They speak - I listen. TechTV is well staffed with intelligent people and they are very entertaining. Everyone needs to heed their good advice.
Alfred Hitchcock was born this day in 1899. Google has honored him in the page title; very clever. Insipid means useless or worthless.
At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)
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