28-Mar-2024 12:53 GMT.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Anonymous, there are 23 items in your selection
[News] ILOVEYOU virus...ANN.lu
Posted on 04-May-2000 20:37 GMT by Christian Kemp23 comments
View flat
View list
The media is being saturated with news reports on the latest "trojan" that spreads like crazy via some Windows-based mail software. Rather than repeating what has been said a thousand times elsewhere, I'll just comment on the fact that even Amigan professionals don't seem to be too secure (respectively, using the wrong software or not enough common sense)... I received a few copies of the message today. :)
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 1 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by cybes on 03-May-2000 22:00 GMT
just to comment on the obvious here this doesnt affect amigas
same with every other lame email virus windows worldwide get struck down by
when will people learn to throw away their pcs and get amigas (wishful thinking? or maybe amiga inc will make this a reality)
either way anyone whose system got infected well they shouldnt use a pc
in the first place if they have an amiga especially when u have all
these excellent amiga tools to use for using the net.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 5 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by anon (for safety !) on 03-May-2000 22:00 GMT
Despite me warning the tech guys in the company I work for, they still don`t have a clue on how to handle security threats of this nature (more on this in a sec...)
Firstly, the microcode in winblows needs to be disabled and removed entirely from `doze, secondly, the stupid system of allowing macros and vis basic to execute unauthorised code is unforgivable - M$ should be sued for any damage caused by their blatant disregard to system security by anyone who`s system is destroyed automatically (microcode). Granted, in the vis basic case, like today, the user needs to sell up and get a typewriter - they can do less damage that way !
OK, example from work... I find a macro attached to a word .doc file, that needn`t have a macro attached - I was asked if I wanted it enabled or disabled, so obviously, I DISABLE it. I then report immediately to the originator (who works in the information services (computer) dept) and tell them they need to get their system checked urgently...
In typical corporate arrogant response style, "theres nothing wrong with my computer, it must be yours, report it to the help desk"...
So I did, and the help desk found the same characteristics to the .doc file, and call in the heavy mob to disassemble it - it IS a virus, but it was corrupted, so not capable of causing damage.
Problem then gets spotted by me, and reported for them to follow up - after being asked to run it with the macro enabled, it sets a global setting so the system will run ANY macro ridden file without warning, or asking - it needs the system settings changing to prompt before ANY unauthorised code it run.
The final response from the "tech" guys :
"we don`t want to think like that, we hope it will never happen"
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 4 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by [Lotus] on 03-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 1 (cybes):
Since the Amiga isn't that popular and widely used anymore,
there aren't that many people who are developing destructive
programs like viruses.
If everyone started using the Amiga, we would also get far more
viruses for this platform as well!
So it's not because it's PC, but because it's the most popular
computer-equipment used by most of the companies around the
world and therefore it has become a greater target to kill for
whatever person who's behind this.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 2 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by NEO on 03-May-2000 22:00 GMT
Hmm... we get into all this problems when we get hostede under other OS's. The new amiga can be hit by any virus, if the virus hits the host os :( The "great" plan (I guess) is to get a lot of wintel users to try the new amiga "frontend"/OS on thir wintel. What a mess this (in worst case) could turn out to be :(
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 3 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Heimdal Graus on 03-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 2 (NEO):
Until the majority of users stop opening unknown mail and its attatchments all should be just about as it is today. Pretty easily avoided viruses.
But as users become more careful the virusmakers have to start with more cunning ways to mess up computers (PC, Mac, whatever...) and the Internet.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 14 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by i_luv_peecee on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
ha! you pathetic amiga users.. your platform is so weak that no one bothers
himself writting masterpieces such as this ILUVYA e-mail virus!
windows have new virus, amiga don't.. that's why amiga sux.
signed:
a proud and satisfied Windows user who have solid arguments agains other platforms
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 15 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by colin wilson on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 14 (i_luv_peecee):
"...your platform is so weak that no one bothers himself writting..."
Hey, that`s to our benefit isn`t it ?
"windows have new virus, amiga don't.. that's why amiga sux."
Wow - it must be trendy to lose all your data because of a dumb script kiddy
like you !
"signed:
a proud and satisfied Windows user who have solid arguments agains other platforms"
Great, so don`t waste your breath on an Amiga channel telling us your system
has only got close to being as good as ours in the last couple of years
And get a spell checker ! (oh, sorry, maybe you`re using the M$ version?)
"it`s not a bug, it`s an undocumented feature, we can`t spell either"
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 16 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Roj on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 15 (colin wilson):
I think that was sarcastic. I hope that was sarcastic. If not, Bill Gates must've discovered Amiga Network News. Don't let him buy ya out, Christian!!
=^)
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 17 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Rick Riebs on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 15 (colin wilson):
Well, one hopes that this dude's message was written with tongue firmly planted in cheek, since it's pretty ridiculous on its face. The 'doze virus experts agree that it was in fact a very simple, almost primitive, virus to make, however insidious the design. What I thought was cool about it (in a black-hearted way), was how it not only e-mailed itself to everyone in one's address book but ALSO used mIRC to propogate itself across IRC. Very clever. Still, this was a direct shot at M$ and the childishly simple ways to infect and damage systems with their own software. I hope the AI braintrust is paying close attention so that (A) this kind of thing can't be done to the new OS, and (B) they realize that there's a world screaming for a user-friendly, bulletproof and secure OS out there. Let's get it done, guys!
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 9 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Tor Anders on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 8 (bbuilder):
The Amiga platform is now so small that virus-creators don't bother making such an e-mail worm for the Amiga.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 10 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Mark Olsen on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 9 (Tor Anders):
Yeah, but you would have to save the executable somewhere and run it. The mailer won't execute it automatically.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 11 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by bbuilder on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 9 (Tor Anders):
"The Amiga platform is now so small that virus-creators don't bother making such an e-mail worm for the Amiga."
It is at least very difficult (if not even impossible) to make such viruses for the Amiga.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 12 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by cybes on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 4 ([Lotus]):
more viruses yes but email virus or word document virus"s ?? not f*cking likely
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 13 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Lonely on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 12 (cybes):
Sniff. :( Nobody loves me. Everybody is getting love letters except me. :( Sniff.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 7 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Rebbi on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 4 ([Lotus]):
Well, I think that it's true that if the Amiga was once again popular and widespread, there would of course be more destructive dweebazoids out there writing viruses for it.
OTOH, being an Amigan and thus immune to this particular attack does highlight the danger of Mr. Bill's "a computer on every desktop running Windows software" megalomania. It's not just that the virus could wreak such havoc (100's of millions of dollars lost already!) because so many computers run Windows, but that a virus written to attach itself to a specific E-MAIL CLIENT could be so ruinous because so many people have accepted MS Outlook as a "standard."
It boggles the mind!
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 8 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by bbuilder on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
It is not possible to avoid viruses on a Windows PC.
Windows is built up to support viruses. It is even updated frequently to support even more viruses.
Yeah sure. They don't do it in purpose. They just develop "features", but they do not think about consequencies.
Outlook automaticly sets and resets its setting so thet it becomes very vulnerable to viruses. I have been forced to manually disable "auto preview", so that viruses do not start immediately when they arrive at my mailbox.
It does not help at all that I have to re-intall the OS and all of the SW every year...
The media just ignores the fact that Unix, Linux, Amiga and other systems are immune to this kind of viruses!!!!!!!
Windows is the only one, which support these viruses.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 6 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Nathaniel Downes on 04-May-2000 22:00 GMT
I would note something: Mac's and Linux are both popular, yet they do not have the same kind of safety hazards inherent that Windows (even those "secured" NT boxes) have.
Amigas have had viruses in the past, but nothing so dangerous as these "Melissa" and "I Love You" viruses. Amiga/Linux/Mac viruses are technically trojan horses, or even rarer tapeworms. The user has to deliberately turn the damaging code on for it to activate.
Something to think about.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 18 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by MAS on 05-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 17 (Rick Riebs):
If we could just get the best of the mainstream apps... you know the ones
M$ didn't have anything to do with! I hope these new guys will be able to
build something 1st rate as well. I think this year will be a really good
year to introduce something truly better, what with M$ and the rest of the
wintel industry on the ropes. Timing may be everything, this time. Lets
hope these new guys can make something worthwhile happen (and soon).
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 19 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Anonymous on 05-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 13 (Lonely):
Never mind!
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 20 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by [Lotus] on 06-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 14 (i_luv_peecee):
Yeah if you like viruses, no one is pulling you back from using
Windows, so if you think that the Amiga sux because it doesn't
get any new viruses, I will have to ask you if you really know
what a virus is??
You're talking about it as it was a good thing that Windows
get new viruses whilst Amiga don't.
You like viruses, use Windows.
You want a secure computer-system, use Amiga.
It's your call.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 21 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by SirRUSH on 07-May-2000 22:00 GMT
Just be happy that the AMIGA is NOT effected by viruses and trojans that the
winsuck users are.
As I always tell friends, "See?? If you own and used an AMIGA you wouldn't have
these problems." ;)
However, it IS true that if the AMIGA were Mainstream then we WOULD have a lot more
hits. The only REAL virus we have to worry about these days is called "Unvalidation". :)
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 22 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Spooky on 13-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 21 (SirRUSH):
The reason the Amiga has so few viruses these days is because it's practically dead. Why would anyone bother writing a virus for a computer whose latest OS release didn't even sell 50,000 copies? Wow, worldwide, that's a bit of a fizzler isn't it? That would mean that the Amiga population is smaller than the number of people in my city (65,000).
I know a lot of Amiga owners are feeling very smug because the ILOVEYOU virus can't touch their computer, but so what? The Amiga has an outdated OS, outdated software, and minimal support. Anyone who thinks the Amiga is going to blow away the PC is deluded, because first it has years of catching up to do.
I'm not holding my breath.
ILOVEYOU virus... : Comment 23 of 23ANN.lu
Posted by Rubber Duckie on 14-May-2000 22:00 GMT
In reply to Comment 22 (Spooky):
I agree with you, Spooky. A dead computer like the Amiga is only important to Amiga owners. I don't know of any computer owners other than Amiga owners getting excited about the latest "developments".
Anonymous, there are 23 items in your selection
Back to Top