August 18, 2003

Blast that Worm!

I just got a little popup box on my screen, a "Symantec AntiVirus Notification." The highlights (or lowlights):

Event: Virus Found!

Virus Name: W32.Blaster.Worm

File: C:\WINDOWS\system32\TFTP1400

Action taken: Clean failed: Quarantine succeeded: Access denied.

So, uh, just what is under quarantine, and where? And how worried should I be?

Posted by Invisible Adjunct at August 18, 2003 01:44 PM
Comments
1

Follow this link to find out how to repair your system. And, if you don't already have one, install a firewall (software) and a router (hardware).

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.html

Good luck!

Posted by: Andrew Cantrell at August 18, 2003 01:54 PM
2

Thanks very much! I'm now in the process of attempting to deworm.

Posted by: Invisible Adjunct at August 18, 2003 02:32 PM
3

Unless one has multiple devices sharing the same broadband connection, the reason to buy a router would be for its hardware firewall (making the software one redundant). Generally you only need one or the other. Buy one, and use the rest of the money to buy a subscription that keeps your Symantect AntiVirus software up-to-date.

Posted by: Ceec at August 18, 2003 04:27 PM
4

I've gone through the elaborate deworming process and apparently (knock wood!) the blaster worm is no longer in my system.

Posted by: Invisible Adjunct at August 18, 2003 05:50 PM
5

There is another way to avoid most, if not all of these worm and virus attacks. Get a Mac!

Posted by: David at August 19, 2003 02:13 PM
6

A free virus scanner I find very useful: AVG. And a software firewall I find both comprehensive and easy to use: Sygate Personal Firewall (also free).

Posted by: Chris at August 20, 2003 10:29 AM
7

Of course if everyone switches to Macs, the hackers will switch their viri over to attack that system, and those few who stayed with MS systems will be safe....

Posted by: LibraryGryffon at August 21, 2003 10:04 AM
8

Also, we ran an MS system at home without virus protection for a year and a half without infection probably because we don't open strange attachements and we *don't* use MS Outlook for E-mail (Eudora light). Fortunately we resubscribed to Norton before the web based blaster came out.

Posted by: LibraryGryffon at August 21, 2003 10:10 AM