"Surferbar" virus>Outlook sucks>best browser/email client

dogscoff · #1 September 3rd, 2003, 12:53 PM

OK, one of the NT machines here at work just got hit by this so-called "surferbar" thing. I looked it up on the web and learned how to remove it, but I can't find anything anywhere about how to prevent getting it in the first place. As far as I know the machine I've just cleaned could easily get re-infected at any time.

Apparently this surferbar is propagated via a weakness in directX which makes it vulnerable to a "drive-by download", whatever the hell that is. I'm not sure Zonealarm will be enough to stop this PoS getting onto my XP system at home.

Anyone got any ideas? If I can help it, I'd rather not download any of that anti-spam/ anti popup software (Zone alarm and google toolbar are as much as I want to run, thanks), I'd like to find a windows patch or registry setting that will stop this kind of crud infecting my system.

BTW, I'd just like to point AGAIN that Microsoft are utterly CRAP for releasing operating systems with so many critically dangerous gaping security holes. Every one of these fkn things pushes me that little bit closer to Linux.

[ September 05, 2003, 09:34: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

dogscoff · #2 September 3rd, 2003, 03:07 PM

No and no. *sigh* guess I'm going to have to live without the preview window if I want to avoid getting hit by this stupid thing.

Thermodyne · #3 September 3rd, 2003, 03:57 PM

Yep, such is life. Actually, the preview window is so vulnerable that MS should have removed it from the program. It is a long standing problem that MS has refused to address.

Alneyan · #4 September 3rd, 2003, 04:07 PM

Oh yes, the preview window is an invitation for viruses. Apart from that... I didn't know you could turn this "feature" off though. If you would like to use this kind of preview window, I'm afraid you will have to change your mail program. (Assuming they remain safe from viruses and/or not plagued with security holes)

geoschmo · #5 September 3rd, 2003, 04:10 PM

Yahoo webmail has a nice feature that let's me view an email without allowing the html stuff to show up unless I click a little "show html" button at the bottom of the email. That way I can read the text of the message before I decide if I want to view the images. Is that possible in outlook? Would that prevent this stuff from getting executed and run on your pc?

Geoschmo

Fyron · #6 September 3rd, 2003, 08:48 PM

You can set outlook to always view emails in plain text instead of HTML.

Azselendor · #7 September 3rd, 2003, 09:31 PM

I recall a statement from Microsoft saying that a number of the security holes in various Windows operating systems won't be patched because it might interfere in future "advertising campigns".

Most likey to pull a stunt link Windows 98 and roll 3 years of bug fixes, IE, and a pile of bloatware into one uber-useless windows.

If anything, I think these viruses might have been created and launched as a response to that whole press release.

[ September 03, 2003, 20:36: Message edited by: Klvino ]

Phoenix-D · #8 September 3rd, 2003, 11:07 PM

Dogscoff, this isn't the only or first virus to exploit the preview window. The one time I got a virus, guess how? It was nimda, via that window..

Arkcon · #9 September 4th, 2003, 01:10 AM

Ah, I was waiting for someone to exploit this hole. Some suggestions are here:
Link to CERT

Basically, I have the multimedia options turned off for IE, and I don't go to random websites. Doesn't seem to be a port I can shut off. Assuming that even works flawlessly in ZoneAlarm.

[ September 03, 2003, 12:11: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

Mephisto · #10 September 4th, 2003, 01:18 AM

I think you have to limit the rights of ActiveX to install scripts on your computer. You can change this at the internet security options. Let the system ask you if somthing is allowed to install itself on your PC and you should be fine (I hope...).