Virus Information Bulletin

Virus damage is a continual concern for all PC users.  Please help us protect our system.  Virus infections on networks and PC's are reaching epidemic proportions.  ITS staffs all over the country are experiencing a significant increase in virus traffic.   We cannot afford to relax.

• Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
• Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a dear friend or someone you know.  Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. Better be safe than sorry and confirm that they really sent it.
• Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected.  Jokes, screensavers, and games are the most prolific source for malicious code and they are the most easily avoided.
• Do delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam, which is unsolicited, intrusive mail that clogs up the network. CHAIN LETTERS ARE ILLEGAL ! Whether they are soliciting money or daring you to "Love Jesus", Chain letters are considered nuisance and harrasing emails.  DO NOT FORWARD .
• Do not download any files from strangers.
• Do not open any email attachments that are executables, such as filename.exe. DO NOT EXECUTE these attachments.  For example, if you receive an email with an attachment such as frog.exe or prettypark.exe or monica.exe (or any filename followed by exe) do not extract or execute that attachment.  Even if the email comes from a known and trusted source.  Jokes do not belong on your PC and the short-lived laugh will not be worth the risk.
• Do exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Insure that the source is a legitimate and  reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. If you're uncertain,  don't download the file at all or download the file to a floppy and test it with your own anti-virus software.  Please contact ITS prior to the download.
• Do Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy.
• When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, forward or execute any suspicious files or email attachments.

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In an effort to protect the campus from the onslaught of today's virus maniacs, it has become necessary to block some email based on content.
  Please notify your senders to refrain from using the following words / phrases in the message subject:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	I Love You
Very Funny Joke	Mother's Day
hahaha	sexy fun
FW: Injustice	Hi
Pics	email marketing
toner	pornographic words and phrases
accept all credit cards	broke you heart
bucks for us	YO
beerbelly	special offer and/or free
you are an idiot	I hate you
why me	Anime, Pokemon, Manga

The list of words and phrases blocked in the subject line is quite lengthy.  It includes most common junk mail sales pitch intros and any word/phrase directly linked with a virus or malicious code.  This list contains but is not limited to the words and phrases above.

Please notify your senders to refrain from using the following words / phrases in the message subject or as an attachment:

Fw: Life Stages	Fw: Funny
Fw: Jokes	Fw: Life Stages text
Fw: Funny text	Life Stages
Funny	FW:Injustice
NakedWife	Injustice
beerbelly	Very Funny
any file attachment ending in .exe

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	Very Funny Joke
sexy fun	hahaha
NakedWife	beerbelly
attachments that are .exe, .scr, .com

Today's most dangerous virus infections require user intervention. Remember: NO CLICKING = NO VIRUS

Revised: September 24, 2004