Jeff and all-
Just to give you an idea of how simply one could get caught, here's my story (which fortunately has a happy ending). Ironically, the email the virus chose to send from Aldo's mail box was a note from me responding to a question from Aldo about a retro ride in the (my) DC area. Aldo had asked about the (non CR) retro ride, of which he had seen pictures while doing some type of web search. I told him that I had heard of such a recurring event, and that notices had been posted about it somewhere, but I didn't know where. My first thought when getting the as-yet-unknown virus message was, ah... Aldo had found the posting about the retro ride and is passing it along. All the pieces added up to what would be a normal email from a trusted source. Probably just coincidence on the part of the virus, but nothing really to cause suspicion. I'm usually very cautious, but in this case I probably would have opened the attachment. Fortunately, my system at work (where I receive my email, but can access it from home as well) caught and quarantined the attachment. I was just lucky. Given the right circumstances, it can happen pretty easily. Virus protection is essential these days!
Wayne Bingham Falls Church, VA
-----Original Message----- From: Jeff Slotkin [mailto:jeffslotkin@home.com] Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 2:06 PM To: classic list Subject: [CR]OT, Viruses and How We Get 'Em
So, can someone tell me a good reason to open an attachment you weren't
expecting and whose origins are unknown?
Jeff Slotkin
TheLocalSpoke
Goose Creek, SC