Reporting A Virus

[sjohnston]

Just lately I've encountered 2 computer viruses. On one occaison I reported this to the user only to be greeted by

"So f###ing what"

With that response it would seem to me that this person is deliberatley trying to infect other people.

Is there a way of reporting this and denying this type of user access.

Thanks.

[MagicNakor]

There isn't a way of reporting people who have viruses. At least, not that I know of. Since something like 1 out of 5 computers on the net are infected with a virus of some type...

You can get his IP and block it with a firewall, if you're really gung-ho about it. Good and updated anti-virus software protects against most viruses, so if it catches it, there usually isn't anything to worry about. :)

:ninja:

[sjohnston]

Thanks for the reply, yeah my AV did detect the virus, it wasnt so much the fact that there was one it was more the response that this person had.

I wandered as they would have to log in as a user in order to access the P2P network so couldnt these people be blocked that way.

Anyway I think I've calmed down now, :) and I'm not wishing them a painful death. Suppose it just brings it home as to how easily computers can become infected if they dont use any antivirus software.

Thanks again.

[MagicNakor]

No problem. :)

Unfortunately, with the Fasttrack network, user names don't have to be unique. So preventing people from logging on based on user-name wouldn't work.

:ninja:

[rastilin]

The problem with that is that most people on Kazaa use 56k and that means an ip block would be REALLY silly. If we put it on their machines then they can hack it. I would answer the same if someone sent me a message like that.

EDIT: Face it, as in any fringe society many if not most people really are'nt that nice.

[sjohnston]

I think I'll sleep safe in the knowledge that when this person decends to the great microchip graveyard in the ground, he'll be punished with a Sinclair Z81 for a 2K rampack for all eternity, (wow... Now I'm showing my age)

Night night

[TIDE-HSV]

SJ, you have to remember that a lot of people using FT are not using their own machines. They are using their employer's or their university's machine. In those instances, they scarcely care at all if that machine - or the network - is infected, as long as their home computer is not. Once, I remember dealing with a major state university here in the states concerning an estate benefitting the university and worth several millions of dollars. In the course of the exchanges, a virus popped up, caught by my NAV. When I brought it to their attention, it was "Well, Geez, our IT department must have really fallen down on the job." There was no sense of personal responsibility nor a sense of having anything to lose personally. Had it been their personal home machines, I'm sure the attitude would have been otherwise. You may have run into this syndrome (Hey! Not my machine).

[will233]

:ph34r: okay...there will always be people out there that are stupid enough to not care about having a virus or about spreading the damn thing :( ........The way I see it , you should'nt get all worked up about it!!
Just get a really good virus program and a firewall ...(the ones you pay for, so you get the real updates) , that way you will avoid all the newbie hackers and virus spreaders.......a good virus scanner will tell you about the virus while you are downloading it and delete it !!!!

[TIDE-HSV]

A properly cracked firewall will get you the updates right on time. Or, at least, so I've been told. ;)

[Fatal Error]

Originally posted by TIDE-HSV@20 April 2003 - 14:33
SJ, you have to remember that a lot of people using FT are not using their own machines.  They are using their employer's or their university's machine.  In those instances, they scarcely care at all if that machine - or the network - is infected, as long as their home computer is not.  Once, I remember dealing with a major state university here in the states concerning an estate benefitting the university and worth several millions of dollars.  In the course of the exchanges, a virus popped up, caught by my NAV.  When I brought it to their attention, it was "Well, Geez, our IT department must have really fallen down on the job."  There was no sense of personal responsibility nor a sense of having anything to lose personally.  Had it been their personal home machines, I'm sure the attitude would have been otherwise.  You may have run into this syndrome (Hey! Not my machine).
Oh yeah.. I hear that. I run into this attitude quite often, and actually, I'm suprised that SJ even got a response.. I find that most of these types usually turn their IM off, these people are aware that there is a problem. They just dont care..sad really.

[sjohnston]

I expected a response just not the one I got, as you say its very sad.