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New crop of e-mail delivered malware making the rounds |
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Written by Janaka Jayawardena
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Monday, 07 March 2011 |
There are new variants of older malware making the rounds recently. If you are using Windows, even on a Tier 1 CAT supported system where you are not a local admin, you can still be vulnerable. The old basic guidelines against email-borne nasties still apply.
- Be suspicious of attachments. A lot of malware comes packaged this way - zip files, pdfs, executables. All it needs is for you to run it. Avoid launching attachments unless you feel absolutely certain that it is intended for you as part of an ongoing conversation. We have seen recent infections from mails purportedly from UPS but it could also seem to come from various sources. A lot of these malware senders can provide a very professional looking facade - so beware. Don’t trust what it says on the From line in your email - it is easily forged.
- Whenever possible, do not click on links in your mail. Especially if it sends you to places where you log in with a password. If you receive such an email, use your web browser and manually navigate to the site and log in, without relying on the link in your email.
The reason for going back to remembering some of these basics is that the constantly evolving malware landscape has rendered anti-virus software ineffective. These attacks reach us long before the companies trying to protect us can recognize the threat.
The impact of these newer attacks, many of which are password stealers, are also more serious. If you are hit by one of these, consider any login and password you used to log into anywhere while infected (MCECS account, Odin account, Banner, your bank, credit card company, utility bills, facebook, gmail, etc) as compromised. You will need to make sure you change all those passwords promptly. It’s this type of access that the attackers seek.
In addition to email, attacks can come from websites that you visit, too. While web-delivered malware can inadvertently come from legitimate sites, avoid sites which seem disreputable. This includes many sites that boast of ‘free stuff” while setting intruders loose on unwitting visitors.
It’s a dangerous world for Windows users so please be careful.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 07 March 2011 )
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