Hi maypop-ga :)
I'm assuming your question is in response to the now infamous
Blaster/LuvSan worm which is currently on the loose and which exploits
a Windows XP security vulnerability. The good news is that the spread
of the virus appears to be slowing down - see:
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39115665,00.htm
The first step is to ensure that you have downloaded the Windows XP
Hotfix 823980 by going to the Windows XP update site at:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
The site will automatically scan your computer for a variety of
updates (including Hotfix 823980). This particular Hotfix will be
listed under their "Critical Updates and Service Packs" section found
on the lefthand side of the page. Then it's just a matter of
selecting the fix and letting Windows install it for you
automatically.
Once that's done, the next step is to ensure that the Hotfix has been
installed. To find this Hotfix on your computer, you need to access
your Windows registry. To do this, follow the steps below (many
thanks to researcher laare-ga from whom this quick step find menu was
obtained):
Go to your Start menu, Select Start, then Run.
Type: regedit in the textbox and click OK
Expand (by clicking the +) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
..SOFTWARE
....Microsoft
......Updates
........Windows XP
..........SP1 (OR SP2 - on my machine it was in folder SP2)
KEY KB823980
Highlighting the key should show description of:
Windows XP Hotfix - KB823980
If it's not there, the patch is not in effect.
You should also make sure that you have adequate anti-virus (and
ideally firewall) software installed and that these items are updated
frequently. For example, I use Norton Anti-Virus Software which
captured an email (actually, it captured SEVERAL emails) infected with
the Blaster/LuvSan worm.
This is NOT an advertisement for Norton (smile) but they also have a
good reference page on the Blaster/LuvSan worm at:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.html
which tells you more about the Blaster/LuvSan worm and they also
provide a removal tool found at:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.blaster.worm.removal.tool.html
which will help you to clean your machine if it has been infected by
the Blaster/LuvSan worm.
Best of luck and wishing you happy and safe computing!
:) jem-ga |
Clarification of Answer by
jem-ga
on
13 Aug 2003 11:37 PDT
Hi again maypop :)
Re: my comment in my original answer:
<<For example, I use Norton Anti-Virus Software which captured an
email (actually, it captured SEVERAL emails) infected with the
Blaster/LuvSan worm.>>
I inadvertently may have given you the impression that the
Blaster/LuvSan worm is spread by email. In fact, upon re-reading my
Norton Anti Virus/Firewall logs, I find that my Norton FIREWALL (i.e.
not the Anti-Virus) blocked a potential Blaster/LuvSan threat. The
Anti-Virus capture was, in my case, related to an entirely different
worm which IS spread via email. The Blaster/LuvSan worm, as far as
I'm aware, is NOT email based.
:) jem-ga
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