The Jake
09-19-2003, 11:57 PM
I always used to appreciate the technical aptitude at virus writing. Now I have found a new level of contempt for their creators in ways most people will never know.
As a Network Abuse Engineer a large chunk of it deals with spam and viruses. We have significant control over the mail servers here and as such have many tools in place to check/block/filter these things.
This new virus (Swen for anyone that doesn't know about it) is one of the new ones.
What pisses me off the most about these things is the fact that people run these things. They get an email with an attachment and they decide to run it. Like moths to a flame, so is the average user.
They see emails that look like they're from Microsoft, nevermind the reply address NEVER corresponds to a Microsoft address.
Good God people....we make people who want to drive sit a test and get a license. Principle should be the same with a computer on the net. Why should liability over a computer be any different because someone has no ****ing idea what they're doing? Ignorance of the law has proven to be no excuse so how come we find exceptions for clueless users.
Update your operating system and software people.
Visit windowsupdate.microsoft.com regularly.
Update your anti virus software. If you don't have any for GODS SAKE get some.
Install a firewall. A real one ideally. None of these ****ty software firewalls. Don't be a *****. Shell out the $50-100 for it. Update it regularly with the patches.
Don't know how to do all this? Hire a consultant. You don't try and change a cracked head in your car if you don't know how do you? No. You hire a mechanic. It's exactly the same.
Get him to show you the basics.
There is a level of responsibility that comes with owning a computer with a network connection and the average ****ing user thinks the ISPs should do all the work. YEAH RIGHT. I suppose you think that the Government should pay for all your car tuneups and repairs too -- particularly after you ****ed the car up in a car accident and were found to be at fault.
**** it, I'm done.
- J.
As a Network Abuse Engineer a large chunk of it deals with spam and viruses. We have significant control over the mail servers here and as such have many tools in place to check/block/filter these things.
This new virus (Swen for anyone that doesn't know about it) is one of the new ones.
What pisses me off the most about these things is the fact that people run these things. They get an email with an attachment and they decide to run it. Like moths to a flame, so is the average user.
They see emails that look like they're from Microsoft, nevermind the reply address NEVER corresponds to a Microsoft address.
Good God people....we make people who want to drive sit a test and get a license. Principle should be the same with a computer on the net. Why should liability over a computer be any different because someone has no ****ing idea what they're doing? Ignorance of the law has proven to be no excuse so how come we find exceptions for clueless users.
Update your operating system and software people.
Visit windowsupdate.microsoft.com regularly.
Update your anti virus software. If you don't have any for GODS SAKE get some.
Install a firewall. A real one ideally. None of these ****ty software firewalls. Don't be a *****. Shell out the $50-100 for it. Update it regularly with the patches.
Don't know how to do all this? Hire a consultant. You don't try and change a cracked head in your car if you don't know how do you? No. You hire a mechanic. It's exactly the same.
Get him to show you the basics.
There is a level of responsibility that comes with owning a computer with a network connection and the average ****ing user thinks the ISPs should do all the work. YEAH RIGHT. I suppose you think that the Government should pay for all your car tuneups and repairs too -- particularly after you ****ed the car up in a car accident and were found to be at fault.
**** it, I'm done.
- J.