Viruses. Again!

[Andy Rudoff]

This is excellent advice from Avery.  And also remember that the virus
messages often try to hide the extension from you by naming them things
like "file.txt.pif" so if your mail reader doesn't show the extension,
the .pif gets left off and you think it a harmless .txt attachment.
These viruses take advantage of the fact that opening several types
of attachments actually *run them* on Windows, and since Windows has no
notion of priviledges, any running program can do anything to the machine,
including replacing parts of the operating system itself!

The PTG server catches any post with executable attachments, so
we haven't had a virus come through any of the PTG lists in years.
But remember that these nasty programs also tend to forge the headers
on the mail they send, so the message may appear to come from anywhere,
even people or lists that you trust.

Keep those machines up to patch!  Both Windows and MacOS have very easy
to use OS update mechanisms (when their servers are not getting attacked).
And virus protection programs are inexpensive and very worthwhile.

-andy

>List,
>
>Be very careful about opening any e-mail with a
>.pif or .scr extension. I received 16 warnings
>from my server that I'd been sent the SoBig virus,
>12 with .pif extensions and 3 with .scr, plus 1
>"oddball". It was all spam, as is usual. I'm
>sure glad my server has virus protection.
>
>MPT's server has also been under attack according
>to a post from Phil Bondi.
>
>Avery 
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>