Hrm... Gee a Virus...

[Vin DSL]

This is the first one I've run across in years! Might want to check YOUR machine(s)...

[ohio_webguy]

I noticed you use F-Prot. I use Norton AntiVirus with Windows and was wondering what you opinion is. I know F-Prot works with Linux and with Windows but on the Windows aspect, does F-Prot equal or exceed Norton in your opinion?

[Spathiphyllum]

Scan your Jaguar-derived gzipped archives too after download. Had three W32.Netsky.P@mm infections in a single archive derived from one of my inbox mailboxes about two months ago. Hadn't observed one in an archive in years... check that - ever!

[Connie]

Spath I assume your talking about files downloaded.

Keep in mind my level of understanding. I did not think a virus scanner could check a zip file.

The last several archived log files I have downloaded are corrupt. When I unzip them they end up being empty Dos files. I thought the problem was due to Jag back ups

Is it possible zip the files are infected with a Virus?

[BigPete]

Yes its possible that archives contain a virus. It's also possible for a virus scanner to check inside an archive.

[Spathiphyllum]

Spath...The last several archived log files I have downloaded are corrupt. When I unzip them they end up being empty Dos files. I thought the problem was due to Jag back ups
Is it possible zip the files are infected with a Virus?

Yes clssam, I'm talking about the archives from one's domain that get produced regularly. If you have an infected file on your site (active or inactive) and it gets archived by the cron job or archive script, the virus will then exist in a compressed form along with all of the other files.

BigPete's notes are correct.

About the empty archives, I don't know what all could cause that... maybe a virus could corrupt the zipping process but I don't know. That seems doubtful. Maybe your log archive is a reflection of the absence of visitors to your site and that, really, no requests were logged because none existed. Possible but not likely since you said that it has happened to several logs recently.

Sorry clssam, I don't know what is creating your munged logs... I guess a virus could do it. Any virus writers in the house that can corroborate this?

[Connie]

Yes its possible that archives contain a virus. It's also possible for a virus scanner to check inside an archive.

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunatiely it still leaves me in the dark. I'm not as smart as some of you are.

Dam I hate to hit the more button. so all you get is a



It should be a Yes I hit the more button.

So

[Spathiphyllum]

clssam,

I think I know what you need and it doesn't have any suds.

Place a *.txt file on your desktop to serve as a running notepad and copy the code for the "cheers" emoticon to it. Then you won't have to constantly download the forum image table on your dial-up. Just a thought. I have a scratch pad running constantly to take quick notes. Makes life much easier since I dislike typing.

[Vin DSL]

I noticed you use F-Prot. I use Norton AntiVirus with Windows and was wondering what you opinion is. I know F-Prot works with Linux and with Windows but on the Windows aspect, does F-Prot equal or exceed Norton in your opinion?

I'm probably the wrong person to ask. I've been doing this a long time. Think of me as Moses, in computer years...

Please, I know this sounds unpatriotic... but, Norton's claim to fame was a nice little dual-pane GUI interface for MSDOS. It was called 'Norton Commander', and it was great. But, DOS died, so they had to come up with something, if they wanted to stay in business. They were late into the AV market, and they've been playing catch-up ever since. IMHO, Norton AV is the McDonald's of the security world. Norton is a cheap imitation of the real thing. If you watch the ads, you can get it for free - and that's what it's worth - $0.00 after rebate...

F-Prot, on the other hand, has always been a cutting-edge product. It comes from Europe, where viruses were a national sport in the 80's and 90's. F-Prot was the answer to Europe's dilemma, born out of necessity, before ppl in America (outside of computer labs) even knew what a virus was. I've been using it for 10 years, or more, and it's always been the best - probably always will be. And, they're getting better all the time - constantly on the move...

Don't think poorly for me for saying this, but I wouldn't even mention Norton AV and F-Prot in the same breath, if you hadn't asked. It's sacrilege! Take it from 'Moses'...

[JonathanB]

Many years ago I used to use F-Prot (their free version). Lately I've been happy with the free AVG Anti Virus. http://www.grisoft.com/

What can I say, I'm a cheapskate.

[Connie]

clssam,

I think I know what you need and it doesn't have any suds.

Place a *.txt file on your desktop to serve as a running notepad and copy the code for the "cheers" emoticon to it. Then you won't have to constantly download the forum image table on your dial-up. Just a thought. I have a scratch pad running constantly to take quick notes. Makes life much easier since I dislike typing.

Actually I had thought about that. Would rather bitch. Either way its opening anohter window. I know the note pad would open quicker. I just noticed that Greg or has put the
on my reply page. Hope it stays there.

Connie

[Connie]

Many years ago I used to use F-Prot (their free version). Lately I've been happy with the free AVG Anti Virus. http://www.grisoft.com/

What can I say, I'm a cheapskate.

Which is what I use. I would like to hear Vins estimation of that program.

[Vin DSL]

The only Grisoft (whatever) I've ever seen was on a machine I was repairing for a co-worker. If I remember correctly, the tests I was ran said it was spyware, so I wiped it off his machine. As a matter of fact, he had 239 instances of spyware on his HD, and Grisoft was just one of them, so I didn't have time to investigate it.

[Vin DSL]

Nevermind...

[lookout]

... but, Norton's claim to fame was a nice little dual-pane GUI interface for MSDOS.

Just adding that Peter Norton was originally best known for giving MSDOS users a file undelete utility. Commander, while significant, came out a little later.

... They were late into the AV market, and they've been playing catch-up ever since....

Though not the first AntiVirus utility on the market, Symantec (who as I'm sure you know, bought out Norton's company) released Norton Antivirus in the Fall of 1990. F-Prot came out a year later according to their own website. Hard to say Symantec hasn't been an innovator in the security market, even if you might not like their products. As I recall, Symantec was among the very first to come out with a server based Antivirus product for Windows NT. Like their competition, they update their software all the time to cover new threats. But I'll grant you that most antivirus software can be a major pain at one time or another, and Norton is no exception.