O/T computer virus

[wayfarer]

Subject: Fw: UPS/Fed Ex Virus

Felt this worth passing along. With Christmas coming up, I can see where this could be a real problem.

The newest virus circulating is the UPS/Fed Ex Delivery Failure. You will receive an e-mail from UPS/Fed Ex Service along with a packet number. It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such-and-such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy

attached. DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of dollars in damage in the past few days.

Snopes confirms that it is real.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

[Dennis_MN]

I experienced this little gem but I didn't open it. I ordered a new laptop and a bag from HP direct a couple of weeks ago. The Laptop came right to the house via Fed-Ex but when I tracked the bag it showed that it arrived at Fed-Ex in Maple Grove, Minnesota and was transferred to the Post Office but there was a red error message on the tracking that the address was in error and was returned. But it was in my mail box that afternoon (we have a bulk box) so when I got the e-mails that there was a delivery problem I just ignored them and deleted them. (there were two a day after the delivery)

At the time I thought this was weird but now I see how clever some folks are. It seems like the post-office has been hacked.

[Young Ed]

Dennis they aren't as clever as you are thinking. They send emails to as many people as possible on the off chance that someone like you is expecting a package and clicks on the link. I just bought a used HP laptop off ebay. Waiting impatiently for it to arrive.

[Dennis_MN]

Dennis they aren't as clever as you are thinking. They send emails to as many people as possible on the off chance that someone like you is expecting a package and clicks on the link. I just bought a used HP laptop off ebay. Waiting impatiently for it to arrive.

Actually the FED-EX tracking site had its last status as incorrect address in RED so I assume something read a barcode into the FEDex system

Just can't be too careful out there

I never knew that Fed-Ex used the USPO for the local portion of their delivery. It was shipped by HP to Fed-Ex then when it arrived in Maple Grove it was shipped to the Minneapolis Postoffice. Pretty slick

[richards47deluxe]

I been getting response from parts wanted adds. wanting me to send money:

>thanks for the mail. I have the requested items in a mint condition

> and am asking a 200$USD for it, As i can ship via UPS on a three

> working days to you, and will accept payment via Western union, as my

> paypal account is dormant at the moment.

>

> Kind Regards,

>

> Brian.

Hey Mate!

>>

>> I saw your Wanted Ad so I decided to write you as I have the item(s)

>> in stock. Get back to me ASAP if you are still interested. What's

>> your cell # ? List out the items you need and also with your complete

>> shipping address.

This is for visors and dome light switches.

[Captain Neon]

All Priority and Express Mail through the USPS is now actually FedEx.

[BobT-47P15]

An additional new virus FYI (at least I just got this email today).

This information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton... Please send it to everybody you know who has Access to the Internet.

You may receive an apparently harmless e-mail titled *Here you have it* or *Just for you*

If you open either file, a message will appear on your screen saying:

'It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful....'

Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC, And the person who originated it will gain access to your Name, e-mail and password.

This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon.

AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the anti virus softwares are not capable of destroying it. The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself 'life owner'.

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, And ask

them to PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY!

*THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY SNOPES.* http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/hereyouhave.asp

[Don Coatney]

Couple of thoughts.

I never give my e-mail address to Fed-ex, UPS, USPS, banks I deal with, or any other big business. So if I get an e-mail from anywhere outside of the folks I have given my e-mail address to it is suspect and goes to the trash file without opening. If I get an e-mail from Fed-ex, etc. it tells me my e-mail address has been hacked from somewhere.

If I get an e-mail from anyone that instructs me to forward this e-mail to all my friends it normally goes directly to the trash file or I clean it up before sending it on to a select few. I also remove all e-mail addresses from anything I forward and use the Bcc option so all e-mail addresses I send it to are hidden. By doing this it is much less likely anyones e-mail address can be hacked.

I got a phone call a week or so ago from (sounded like) Nigeria. The guy on the phone told me that my computer was infected with a virus and would crash unless I went to a web site address that he gave me. I asked him how he knows that I have a computer and that it is infected. He did not give me a good answer. I then collectively used all the colorful metaphors I could think of telling the guy what I thought of his breeding and where I thought he should go.

[TodFitch]

I guess I'm too much of a computer nerd: I have my mail reader set to show all headers. Those are the cryptic lines that mail servers put on the mail as it is forwarded through the Internet.

They can be easily forged, but the ones I look at are the last couple that my mail server adds. I can trust those. And they say where my mail server got the mail from. If the subject and "received from" say UPS but my mail server said it came from 12-34-56-78-dsl.tele-srv.co.br (made up example) then I figure it is fake. After all, it is really unlikely that UPS is using a personal DSL line in Brazil for their official email.

Too bad that most domains don't publish SPF (sender policy framework) records or DKIM (domain key internet mail) records on their DNS. With the first (SPF), they can say what mail servers are allowed to send mail purported to be from their domain. It makes it easy to reject mail that is not from the correct server. The second (DKIM) is a way of digitally signing the mail on the originating server (no user intervention or training required) so that the receiver's email server can detect if it is from the domain is says it is from and whether or not it has been modified in transit. Again, that make it easy for the receiving mail server or email reader to reject bad mail and to be sure if it accepts it that it is real.

Like I said, I am probably just to much of a computer nerd. Quick poll: How many of you have set up your home wireless with WAP Enterprise authentication using a separate RADIUS server?

How many even know what the heck that means?

[Niel Hoback]

Tod, what language are you speaking?

[Don Coatney]

What agrivates me is when I report a report phishing incident to a business such as a bank or other reputable business and ask them if they are aware of this fraudulant e-mail and what they plan to do to prevent it I get a canned response from them as if they are talking to a 3rd grader.

[TodFitch]

What agrivates me is when I report a report phishing incident to a business such as a bank or other reputable business and ask them if they are aware of this fraudulant e-mail and what they plan to do to prevent it I get a canned response from them as if they are talking to a 3rd grader.

I don't do Windows. All the machines in the house are either Unix or Mac. I currently have "business class" Internet service which actually gets me a real live human in the US on the rare occasions I need to call tech support. But back when I had residential class service I got really annoyed with "help" line people who gave a first step of re-booting my Windows box. Typical conversation, translated from Indian English on their side:

Me: "My DSL is not functioning properly, the status page on the modem's web interface shows a uplink signal to noise ratio of X, DSL specifications call for a minimum of Y. Please check the line."

Them: Please reboot WIndows and see if that helps.

Me: I don't have a Windows computer, your modem's status page shows an line quality issue. I have already cycled the power on the modem and verified the connections between the modem and the customer demarcation box on the side of the house. As well as verifying that the modem shows the same issue when directly plugged into the box on the side of the house.

Them: Please reboot WIndows and see if that helps.

Me: Obviously you are not listening. The problem is not in my non-existent Windows box, it is either an issue with the modem, the line or your central office equipment.

Them: Please reboot WIndows and see if that helps.

etc.

[BobT-47P15]

And your customer service rep was probably named Bill or Jack or

Charlie or some other good American name.

I started out with a local provider then switched to a couple other

companies over the years. Have now returned to the local business

where I can walk in the office to discuss a problem. At least their

real Ozark "hillbilly" accent is easy to understand.

Edited October 26, 2010 by BobT-47P15

[58prostreet]

Tod,

You lost me after "I guess I'm too much of a computer nerd..."

Bob