Here We Go Again -- Seafood Mailing List Transmits Another Infection

From: Pamela Tom (pdtom@ucdavis.edu)
Date: Sun Dec 09 2001 - 23:47:38 PST

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    To: UCD Postmasters
    cc: Seafood HACCP Mailing List

    Debbie and Mike, Mike mentioned that my e-mail message (endorsing UCD's
    proposed purchase of antiviral software for $80,000 is well worth the
    investment) would be supportive documentation when the topic of computer
    security issues are discussed this Friday, 12/14. Well...I'd appreciate it
    if you'd include this message too at your meeting. Not only are
    subscribers plus UCD staff needlessly affected by countless hours of
    dealing with viral infections, word is circulating (according to my friend
    and mentor, whom I saw in So. Calif. this weekend) that people don't want
    to subscribe to our listserv because it transmits too many viruses.
    "Great," I mused on the plane ride home..."people want our mailing list
    information but are inhibited in subscribing due to its reputation."

    Late this evening I checked my mailbox and was surprised by over 350
    messages; most of which were *error* (rejected) messages based on 3
    messages all containing the virus, W32/Magistr.b@MM [disinfection
    information is at: http://vil.mcafee.com/dispVirus.asp?virus_k=99199&]
    transmitted from the computer of subscriber, mpepp@eol.com.er. Had I not
    checked late this evening, I could have easily amassed about 1000 error
    messages by Monday morning.

    Upon discovering the viral transmission, I immediately unsubscribed mpepp
    and notified him/her of this action.

    Mike, please remove the messages from mpepp@eol.com.er from the seafood
    archive for 12/9. Also, please give me an update on the status of UCD's
    policy on antiviral software following your security meeting this Friday.
    Seafood subscribers (and subscriber wannabes) are very interested in the
    security of the HACCP mailing list and would welcome UCD's adoption of
    antiviral software for the mailing lists. Also, UCD's reputation is
    apparently tarnished by UCD's current stance against prophylactic software
    to guard against viral/worm transmissions. With the holiday season
    approaching and many UCD staff (including yours truly) taking vacations,
    many of the mailing lists may be unmonitored and very vulnerable to
    attack. So, if the securuity committee approves (finally) antiviral
    software for mailing lists, I hope that it can be installed before
    Christmas.

    Thanks for your help and consideration with these requests.

    Pamela Tom, Seafood Mailing List Co-owner

    p.s., Seafood Mailing List subscribers, please remain vigilant in
    refraining from opening attachments without using your own updated viral
    protection software to check the status of the attachment. Also, please
    remember that you can easily get a virus from a friend or relative's
    e-mail message.



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