Win95 Microsoft fix no. 1 -- Virus Alert

[Benjamin Sher]

Dear Colleagues:

I am taking the liberty of passing on this first of two critical
computer messages:

1) a REAL Virus bulletin and Microsoft fix that
was first published on H-RUSSIA.

2) a message from Win95-L concerning Microsoft's fix for the Year
2000 bug. I have no idea why it was not sent to our list. But I
believe that it is important enough to justify it.

Yours,

Benjamin


------- Forwarded Message Follows -------Date:
Mon, 18 May 1998 14:30:05 -0400 Reply-to:      H-Net Russian History
list <H-RUSSIA at h-net.msu.edu> From:          Martin Ryle
<mryle at richmond.edu> Subject:       FROM H-NET: VIRUS ALERT To:
     H-RUSSIA at h-net.msu.edu

H-Net normally discourages the dissemination of virus alerts, because
in almost every case the supposed virus is a hoax or has already been
thwarted by upgraded software and new antivirus programs.  However, the
Chronicle of Higher Education reports this week that attacks upon
computers through the internet, so-called "WinNuking," have been
occurring with increased frequency in the past months, and that news
about a free patch protecting against win-nuking has not been widely
disseminated to universities.

These "attacks" are not viruses.  Instead, they exploit a bug in
Windows 95/NT's networking system by forcing a shutdown/reboot of the
affected computer.  The attacker sends a code to the host computer's IP
address, (obtained in chat rooms, or through visits to web pages), that
confuses Win95/NT and forces the shutdown.  The attacks themselves do
not erase data, but they do force the user to reboot (and therefore
lose unsaved data) and disconnect from the network.  Versions of the
attacks have different names, such as "teardrop," "ping o'death," "land
attack," etc., which operate on the same basic rationale and exploit
the same flaw in the operating system.

Microsoft has developed a Win95/NT fix for this bug, which can be
downloaded free from Microsoft.  A sensible, readable, explanation of
the situation, along with instructions and direct download links to
Microsoft to obtain patches for Win95 and versions of WinNT, can be
found at:

http://users.nac.net/splat/winnuke/

The patch itself is 968K.  It will install quickly, and does fix the bug.


Microsoft's security bulletin on the "teardrop" variant of the attack
is at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/newtear2.htm

Subscribers interested in tracking virus hoaxes will find the Computer
Virus Myths site useful:

http://www.kumite.com/myths/home.htm

regards


Dr. Peter Knupfer
Associate Director
H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online
Voice: 785-532-5824

http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~asociate

mailto:asociate at h-net.msu.edu

Benjamin Sher
Russian Literary Translator
Email: sher07 at bellsouth.net
http://personal.msy.bellsouth.net/msy/s/h/sher07/