Mail Server Report Virus Warning Only Partially Correct

If you haven't already, chances are that you will soon be forwarded the following virus warning by a friend or associate.

Anyone-using Internet mail such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on.

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 "Mail Server Report"

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 sent it to you 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 software's 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/mailserver.asp

The problem is, that warning is only correct on one point...there is a new virus being circulated called, 'Mail Server Report'.

It is either mistakenly, or purposely, being linked to the supposedly Life is Beautiful virus, which has been making it's rounds through cyberspace since January of 2002. It's also known as the "Life is Wonderful" and "Everything is Beautiful" virus. Whatever you wanna call it - it is a hoax!

HOWEVER; the "Mail Server Report" virus is real and does pose a potential pain in the a** problem if your pc becomes infected with it.

The ACTUAL wording in the email containing the "Mail Server Report" virus is as follows...

Mail server report.

Our firewall determined the e-mails containing worm copies are being sent from your computer.

Nowadays it happens from many computers, because this is a new virus type (Network Worms).

Using the new bug in the Windows, these viruses infect the computer unnoticeably.

After the penetrating into the computer the virus harvests all the e-mail addresses and sends the copies of itself to these e-mail addresses

Please install updates for worm elimination and your computer restoring.

Best regards,
Customers support service

To make you think they're being a really nice guy (yeah right), the perpetrator of the virus offers you an update to stop your computer from being used to spread mass-mailing worms, the message includes attachments that when opened actually infect your PC with the very worm he's supposed to be protecting you from, one known as Warezov.W or W32/Warezov.X.

So what steps can you take to keep your computer from becoming infected with this worm?

It's simple really - DON'T OPEN ANY ATTACHMENTS THAT COME THROUGH EMAIL!

And since it is possible for viruses to "spoof" or fake the sender’s address, do NOT open Emails with attachments from people you know, UNLESS you were expecting an attachment from them, or if the attachment is a file type or file name that you customarily do not receive from this person.

To protect your computer against viruses, spyware and all those other little goodies you can live without, I suggest you visit mine and Jan's website, JRM Software.

[iamsbm]
Sharon Bray-McPherson

Jan Tallent & Sharon Bray-McPherson
JanRon Publishing Digital Products

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