Question for any computer expert!

[Colleen A.]

Yesterday, someone emailed me with a letter telling me that she had been accidentally infected with a virus. This virus is spread through your address book. This email gave instructions on what to search for and how to delete it. It lays dormaint in your computer for 14 days after it reaches you. I went on a search and never found it in my computer. I did forward the email on to whoever is in my address book, just to be safe. I didn't think I could spread it since I didn't have it. A friend of mine looked and immediately found it!!! How is this possible? Also, why can't I find it?!!! Is it in there and "waiting to attack"? I called emachines and they told me their usual answer....run the refresh program. Seems like this is their answer for everything!!
I guess my question is do I need to worry or do you think since this is a new computer, running XP, that maybe this virus couldn't do anything to me and just tapped into my address book? Help before something terrible happens!~

 

[BobBrazeal]

Did they tell you that the virus came from an email that you sent them? From what I'm reading in your post, a friend found it and warned you. You checked and didn't find it but forwarded the warning to your friends. One of your friends read the warning and found it on their computer.

How is that possible???

They probably got it from some other source but not from you.

Also, why can't I find it?!!! Is it in there and "waiting to attack"?

You won't find it if it isn't there but I can't answer for sure without knowing more about the virus and what the instructions were that you received and followed. If they were good instructions and you didn't find anything, then you probably are not infected. The only way to be sure is to get a virus scan program, install it and run it regularly and keep it up to date.

I guess my question is do I need to worry or do you think since this is a new computer, running XP, that maybe this virus couldn't do anything to me and just tapped into my address book?

Running XP or any other system will not, in itself, protect you. How do you know it tapped into your address book?

Bottom line: The only way to be sure is to get a virus scan program, install it and run it regularly and keep it up to date.

 

[Colleen A.]

I assumed that my friend, Nancy, got the virus from my address book since she said she just ran a virus scan last week and nothing showed up. The woman I got the email from is a relative of mine and the 2 don't know or have contact with each other. I was told to look for "sulfnbk.exe" in the hard drive C. This is where I searched, as well as every other item listed in search (my computer, my documents....) and each search indicated that no files were found. This is my first computer, only had it since mid Oct. and I am learning "under fire". From what the letter said and what Nancy told me, if the search finds the file, it will look that ab "ugly blackish icon with the name sulfnbk.exe" . Like I said, I don't know enough about these things yet and am picking my way through. What is a good virus program?

Colleen

 

[BobBrazeal]

If it is a virus that is wide spread, then Nancy could have gotten it from anyone and not necessarily from your relative. Checking one week doesn't mean that it didn't get in after that.

I use McAfee VirusScan. I find it easy to use and it is easy to keep it up to date. I usually have it check for updates once a day. They can come out that often.

If you don't keep it up to date, you could be vulnerable to getting a virus. The thing to remember is that just installing a virus scan program on one day, doesn't mean that you are safe forever. They all require updates on a very regular basis.

Now, all that said, the particular "virus" you were warned about is a hoax. The file sulfnbk.exe, when located in the C:\windows\command folder, is a file that is used by Windows. It is supposed to be there. If it is found in any other folder it is probably a virus. It may not be part of XP and that is the reason that you didn't find it. I don't have it on my Windows 2000 machines but it is on the Windows 98 laptop that I have.

sulfnbk.exe hoax info

 

[albiats]

I concur completely with Bob's information and would like to add a couple comments to emphasize what he was saying.

This one was a hoax, but it might not be that way each time. The best thing to do is to prepare for a possible virus now so it does not become a problem later.

A good virus scan program is an absolute necessity these days. There are devious people in the world that have enough intelligence to create a virus (or a 'worm', just as bad) but not enough intelligence to realize that they could do something good with their talents. There are several good brands, Bob mentioned McAfee as one of them and I use Norton Antivrus, made by Symantec, and it's a matter of preference, they are both very good.

The most important thing is to buy an Antivrus program, install it, and keep it updated with the current program updates and virus definitions. A good program will let you schedule a virus scan while your computer is unattended. My Norton program is more pc based and the newer versions of McAfee are Web Based, and that's also a matter of preference. It's very important to keep them updated with the latest virus definitions because your pc may be virus free when you run a scan on Tuesday, but it may detect a new virus on Wednesday if you have new virus definitions installed. The point is that the bad guys write new viruses all the time and you need to have the latest definitions to detect the latest virus.

You can purchase the virus scan programs from places like BestBuy, Circuit City, or CompUsa as well as online at the virus companies Websites.

I don't mean to run this subject into the ground, but I spent the better part of three days trying to erradicate a virus from a network that I maintained, before I retired. This was about 4 or 5 years ago and the virus was on many of the floppy diskettes that people used. The only way that I was able to get rid of it was to convince the third level manager that I needed everyone to stop working at the same time and to turn on every pc, even if someone was not at the office that day. There were about 130 computers on the network and I had to write detailed instructions for each person so that they could all be retested at the same time. It took about an hour to verify that each one had been tested and cleaned, but it worked.

Anyway, I urge you to get a virus scan program, install it, keep it updated and turned on, and you won't have to worry about these things in the future.

And I have now climbed down from my soap box and will resume reading.

Here's a link to the McAfee Website :

McAfee Link

Here's a link to the Symantec Website: Symantec Link

 

[Colleen A.]

Thank you so much for relieving my mind! I forwarded the link to the virus hoax to Nancy. I plan on picking up a anti-virus program this weekend just in case of future problems! I only wish the techs at msn or emachines knew as much as you guys do!!! Their answer to everything is to run the restore program and start over!!!

Colleen