In All My Years Of Personal Computing... Ever Since My Apple IIe

[arwalden]

I've never been infected with a computer virus.

Now I *have* received infected files... but I've never been infected with anything.

Luck? Or due-diligence?

It just amazes me when I realize how many folks will just click on and execute any old attachment from any old person without scanning it for viruses.

-- Allen

[SoCalDem]

1. I delete everything unless it's a confirmation

of something that I know I ordered..

never open any of them:)

[Rick Myers]

2. Same here...

I dodged this bullet, however... Sunday afternoon I ran a complete scan with everything I have, then did a critical update from Micro$oft. Apparently that patch has been available since the weekend, because I'm clean. :)

I often wonder about people who don't have the level of tech experience... With all the crap out there, most machines are probably CLOGGED with junk, executable cookies, trojans, etc...

Goddess knows I wouldn't want to be back at Micron doing tech support these days!!!!!

[ianbruce]

3. Same here. I use a Mac.

More than once, they've been the only computers working at the office.

[myomy]

6. and Mac OS 10 has a built in firewall

Love my Mac (and have for many years).

[tridim]

4. I got the worm..

I was installing XP today because my Win2k installation was getting crusty and recieved the worm within a few minutes. The fact that it arrived so quickly scares the hell out of me. I should be safe now after applying the patch and fixing the registry.

Like you, I've never had any serious virii up until now. This worm is deadly serious. There could be MAJOR global Net problems this weekend when it kicks in.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. I got the worm too...

within a few minutes of dialup at most. Cleaned it with Norton & downloaded the patch.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. FIREWALL!

[geniph]

8. One of the computer sites

recently had an article where the author's theme was basically that we should stop publishing headlines like DANGEROUS WORM THREATENS THOUSANDS OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS and rather have headlines like TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MORONS OPEN OBVIOUSLY VIRUS-LADEN ATTACHMENTS. Now, this was partially tongue-in-cheek, but he had a point, too - who, in this day and age, is using a computer with sublime innocence, expecting every attachment to be benign?

Now, the worms and trojans have gotten much more sophisticated and have many more methods for propagating themselves, but the same rules still apply; when a hole or security flaw is discovered, patch your systems. Update your antivirus. Turn off any services you don't need. Use a firewall. Use strong passwords. Don't let anything auto-execute or auto-preview on your email, and don't open attachments you aren't expecting, or any attachments with unknown (or known dangerous) extensions.

The same people who won't touch a bathroom door with their bare hands will use a networked computer without virus protection or firewalls!