Klez is indeed a nasty scourge. It might be wise, however, to offer some practical advice (in addition to applying Microsoft's patches and upgrading anti-virus apps) to help dampen its spread. Here are some things I have been getting my coworkers to do:
--Email software should be set to hide the 'preview' pane. With Mozilla/Netscape this can be accomplished with a single mouse click, but in Outlook Express and its cousins the Layout settings have to be changed. Doing so will prevent suspect messages from being inadvertantly opened. Messages that the user wishes to open simply need to be double-clicked and they will appear in a new window.
--In the email application's list view the 'message size' column should be displayed. Klez-infected messages are always around 110 to 150 kb in size, making this piece of information an important warning flag.
--Finally, displaying the source of a suspect message is a good (and safe) way of making a final check, as the source can be viewed without actually 'opening' the message. Command-u on recent Mac (control-u on Windows) versions of Mozilla/Netscape will bring this up; in Outlook Express you have to bring up the message's properties and then click on the source button. Klez messages have little to no actual body text followed by a long block of attached virus code, and are hence fairly easy to spot this way.
I notice a news story on viruses from MacCentral titled "Mac Virus Susceptibility Questioned," at http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/news/16703.html
Here are the opening paragraphs:
"It's been a long-standing belief of many Mac proponents that their platform is inherently less susceptible to viruses that Windows. That's a myth, according to an article recently published by Computing entitled Experts explode 'Mac is safer' myth.
Writer James Middleton's sole source for this refutation is a spokesperson for Symantec Corp., which makes anti-virus software for the Macintosh. Symantec also alleges that 62 percent of Mac users have migrated to the platform because of the perception of increased security, according to Middleton's report. "In the past even the US Army has moved its web servers over to Mac OS in the mistaken belief that they will be more secure," wrote Middleton. "
I question much if not all of this. Certainly there are plenty of other good reasons to choose a Mac and that figure has the scent of statistical or polling voodoo.
Regardless, the Mac isn't safer on the virus front because of some technological advantage. However, it is *effectively* safer because few Mac programmers write viruses aimed at the platform AND because almost 100 percent of all viruses in the world are written for the Windows platform and don't work on the Mac.
Fending off Klez
Klez is indeed a nasty scourge. It might be wise, however, to offer some practical advice (in addition to applying Microsoft's patches and upgrading anti-virus apps) to help dampen its spread. Here are some things I have been getting my coworkers to do:
--Email software should be set to hide the 'preview' pane. With Mozilla/Netscape this can be accomplished with a single mouse click, but in Outlook Express and its cousins the Layout settings have to be changed. Doing so will prevent suspect messages from being inadvertantly opened. Messages that the user wishes to open simply need to be double-clicked and they will appear in a new window.
--In the email application's list view the 'message size' column should be displayed. Klez-infected messages are always around 110 to 150 kb in size, making this piece of information an important warning flag.
--Finally, displaying the source of a suspect message is a good (and safe) way of making a final check, as the source can be viewed without actually 'opening' the message. Command-u on recent Mac (control-u on Windows) versions of Mozilla/Netscape will bring this up; in Outlook Express you have to bring up the message's properties and then click on the source button. Klez messages have little to no actual body text followed by a long block of attached virus code, and are hence fairly easy to spot this way.
Best o' luck.
A side note from the author
I notice a news story on viruses from MacCentral titled "Mac Virus Susceptibility Questioned," at http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/news/16703.html
Here are the opening paragraphs:
"It's been a long-standing belief of many Mac proponents that their platform is inherently less susceptible to viruses that Windows. That's a myth, according to an article recently published by Computing entitled Experts explode 'Mac is safer' myth.
Writer James Middleton's sole source for this refutation is a spokesperson for Symantec Corp., which makes anti-virus software for the Macintosh. Symantec also alleges that 62 percent of Mac users have migrated to the platform because of the perception of increased security, according to Middleton's report. "In the past even the US Army has moved its web servers over to Mac OS in the mistaken belief that they will be more secure," wrote Middleton. "
I question much if not all of this. Certainly there are plenty of other good reasons to choose a Mac and that figure has the scent of statistical or polling voodoo.
Regardless, the Mac isn't safer on the virus front because of some technological advantage. However, it is *effectively* safer because few Mac programmers write viruses aimed at the platform AND because almost 100 percent of all viruses in the world are written for the Windows platform and don't work on the Mac.
For the user, the result is the same.
daviD M.