the worm is suppose to make all infected computers log onto windows update on the 16th. download the service pack today !!

I downloaded the latest service packs today, but it didn't seem to help.. my computer would still shut down every few minutes, dang it.. so I went to microsoft.com, and managed to download the patch for the Blaster worm before my computer shut down, and that solved the problem.

Hey, 10 posts!.. woot!

Reverie, are you coming to the swap meet or to the flair party on Saturday?
I don't know if I have met you yet.

Geoff

I want to attend John Walker's event, and I want to stop in at Dave's event also, but can't shay for shure... My girlfriend and I are moving on the 19th (one whole mile! lol) and there's lots of packing and "newfound garbage" to haul away. I think she'll understand that I really want to have a few hours to meet new buds, but I'll have to work my butt off to earn it... I'm spit-shining my 'teen already. ~ Roger

Is this thread officially hijacked yet?

I run Windows Millenium Edition. I don't see a patch for that system. Is ME unaffected by the worm, and that's why there's no ME specific patch?

Yeah Curvie, only NT based.

I run a superhacked version of 98SE... rock!



M

Cool,
Thanks, redshift

CNN News Article on the Worm

Blaster Worm Removal Tool Symantec Removal Tool

The Microsoft Patch to prevent this worm is located *here* on their TechNet Site. It's NOT available through Windows Update. If you haven't installed the patch, you are NOT safe.

P.S. This worm does not affect Windows ME users, only NT generation platforms. "ME" is simply Windows 98 on steroids.

let me make sure i understand what you're saying -- both my XP systems have auto-installed all the security updates from mid-April and you're saying they are *not* safe ? that Microsoft has known about this and yet KEPT IT OFF the update site ? i suppose that's possible but color me skeptical...

i have yet to see anyone say how you can tell if your system is or is not affected...

If infected your pc will reboot every 60 seconds. Note that this is almost twice as often as normal.

-Ben M. (safely behind my Linux firewall last rebooted 9 months ago)

and Oh By The Way - you've gotta be running INTERNET EXPLORER to install that patch.
conspiracy theorists are surely having a field day...

Other than the tell-tale rebooting, the Symantec Tool I posted above will search your system for the Worm.

Microsoft says that you can consider yourself safe if you've been using the Firewall integrated into XP "Network Connections". But they highly advise that you install the patch anyways.

I dunno about HAVING to run Explorer. I do, because I like it. I downloaded the patch and installed it from my desktop.

-Rusty

i went there, it looked for updates, it told me there was nothing to do. i'm pretty sure that update got installed in July when the issue was originally raised.

as for requiring IE - believe it. went there with Mozilla Firebird and all it it told me was where to where to install a copy of IE...

yepp, the only "critical" update i see is IE6
Andy

The worm is attacking the update pages...

Go to the Microsoft website HERE *********************

They have a link from there.


B

My work 'puter has been down since Monday noon. I've tried everything, (downloads, virus scans, etc, etc, ) with NO luck. I'm ready to use it as a wheel chock.

I can find the blaster file, delete it and it comes right back.

It really cuts down on posting here during the day.

Paul

One of the guys at work says he's been installing AdAware to clean it off and that it's been working.

Looks for instances of blaster.exe in your task list. You probably won't be able to stop the processes manually. I'm running Win98se and Linux so I haven't been affected by this particular pest.

Rick

I've got XP at work and good 'ol '98 here at home.
Thanks for the advice.

Paul

I had the worm on my EP Box; i went to MS and got the patch; I again went to MS and downloaded the service patches (I am setup for auto updating) and noticed I had an occassional glitch. Oh, before doing the foregoing, I activated MS firewall which did give me back the internet connection. If you cannot get an internet connection you have to go into the RPC (Remote Procedure Calls,; do not confuse with Remote Procedure Call Locator whiich is right below it; not the same). The worm is still on the computer files and you have to get the tool from Symantec.

Please refer to Mr. Lawrence's info in this thread. That is where I got my "worm fix" after getting the MS change.

I am back up running EP without any glitches from "The Blaster"

If anyone wants a run down on the Symantec routine, I give them what I did.

It looks like the tool has to be gotten to get the virous out of your system; the MS patch does not appear to to this.

As I understand it, the Microsoft patch is exactly what it is named....a patch. It patches the particular security flaw that allows the computer to be infiltrated by this particular virus. It does not remove the virus if the computer has already been infected. In order to remove the virus, you need to download the Blaster.Virus.Removal Tool from Symantec.

Analogy:
Someone breaks into your house because your front door was unlocked. Locking the front door might keep anyone else from getting in, but the guy that already broke in is still there packing away your good silverware. Locking the door is Microsoft's patch. The baseball bat that you beat the burglar over the head with is the Symantec virus removal tool.


Microsoft --> writes OS and software with security holes (and the required patches)
Symantec --> writes the antivirus tools that actuallty attack the virus itself

By the way, there are at least three different variants on the Blaster virus now. (creatively named A, B and C) So if you got the virus early on and used the Symantec tool to clean your computer, you may need to download an updated version of the same tool to get rid of it a second time if you get it again.
Happy Virus Hunting and Good Luck.

BTW:
I don't think you need to have IE to update Windows, but in order to use the nice and easy and almost automated Windows Update website, you'll need a browser that correctly inrterprets VBScript. And that list of browsers is pretty short last time I checked. (I think that list has grown to about one recently.) I'm pretty sure that each update available on the Windows Update site is available for download separately on the TechNet site somewhere. Its just not as easy to get that way.


BTW2:

Thanks for making me blurt out loud laughing and wake up my sleeping one yr old.


- Dan

At this hour (10:45 PM on Thursday 8/14) it looks like the microsoft website is down.... LOL. Way to write software, people.

I'm so tempted to buy a Mac, just for spite.

naaa, MACs have their problems too. you just don't hear much about it.
used to work with MACs for years (still have one). they aren't really "better" just different ...

Andy