hi all

patrick crispen at tourbus has devoted an entire column to bubbleboy
i thought it important to pass on to you
i subscribe to his regular e-mail reports
highly recommended

janet


>Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 23:14:48 -0600
>From: Patrick Douglas Crispen <[log in to unmask]>
>Subj: TOURBUS -- 11 NOVEMBER 1999 -- PC'S TAKE ON BUBBLEBOY
>
>Most people who know me well know that I think in analogies.  Maybe
>that's one reason why it took me eleven years to get my economics
>degree (I had a HECK of a time thinking of an analogy for sterilized
>central bank intervention in the FX market).  :P
>
>Anyway, here is my analogy for the recent Bubbleboy virus scare.
>
>Imagine if the media discovered that millions of people around the
>world were leaving the doors to their houses wide open.  The media
>would absolutely PANIC.  TV reporters and newspaper journalists would
>breathlessly warn you that
>
>      YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE IN GRAVE DANGER!  Because of open doors,
>      thieves can enter your house and steal all your possessions right
>      from under your nose!  Gypsies can enter your home through these
>      same open doors and steal your children in the middle of the
>      night!  And don't forget about the killer bees!  For years we
>      have told you that you only have to worry about killer bee
>      attacks when you are outside, but this changes EVERYTHING!
>      Killer bees can be swarming down your street, see your open
>      door, swarm into your bedroom, and turn you and your loved ones
>      into human pin cushions!  No one's bedroom is safe!!
>
>      OH THE HUMANITY!!!!
>
>It is a shame that the media did not grow up in *MY* house, because
>they could have learned a lot from my father.  My dad, the Rev. Bob
>"Bob" Crispen, taught me a great many things, but there was one piece
>of advice he shared with me over and over again.  That advice changed
>my life forever.  You ready for this?  Here ya' go: SHUT THE DAMNED
>DOOR!!
>
>What does this have to do with the Bubbleboy worm?  Well, there is an
>inadvertent 'open door' in the Windows operating system that *COULD*
>conceivably make your computer vulnerable to outside attack.  In
>specific, a mean spirited hacker *COULD* 'walk through' this open door
>on your Windows PC and read any file on your computer, delete specific
>files or programs, or even completely erase your hard drive.
>Bubbleboy is the first virus [actually it is a worm] that takes
>advantage of this open door.
>
>The important thing to remember is that like our mythical bedroom-
>inhabiting killer bees, Bubbleboy really ISN'T the problem.  The
>problem is the open door!  Close the open door to your house and you
>won't have to worry about killer bees in your bedroom; close the open
>door in Windows and you won't have to worry about Bubbleboy (or its
>ilk) causing damage to your computer.  [It is amazing that the media
>doesn't seem to understand this.]
>
>As I mentioned in my last TOURBUS post, Microsoft released a software
>patch in late August that closes this open door in Windows.  The patch
>is called "Update for Security Vulnerabilities in 'Scriptlet.typlib'
>and 'Eyedog' ActiveX Controls," and you can download it from Microsoft
>by either running Windows Update -- step-by-step instructions on how
>to do this can be found in my last TOURBUS post at
>http://listserv.aol.com/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9911B&L=tourbus&P=R249&m=101
>-- or by downloading the patch directly from Microsoft at
>
><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp">
>http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp </A>.
>
>----------------------------------------------
>Who is affected by this so-called 'Open Door?'
>----------------------------------------------
>
>Technically, this open door affects everyone who uses Microsoft
>Internet Explorer 4.X or 5.X on a PC.  However, since Internet
>Explorer is so closely integrated into the Windows operating system,
>the truth is that *EVERYONE* who uses Windows 98 or 2000 is affected,
>even if you don't ever use Internet Explorer.
>
>----------------------------------------------------
>Does this 'Open Door' affect Windows 95 or NT users?
>----------------------------------------------------
>
>I think so, but I honestly don't know.  From what I can gather from
>Microsoft, it does.  [That download page I mentioned a few moments ago
>offers patches for "Microsoft Windows 95 and 98" as well as "Microsoft
>Windows NT."].
>
>---------------------------------------
>Does this 'Open Door' affect Mac users?
>---------------------------------------
>
>Nope.  This open door is in the Windows operating system, so it only
>affects Windows users.  [Chalk one up for 'thinking differently!']
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>I read in the media that Bubbleboy only affects Microsoft Outlook and
>Outlook Express!  I don't use Outlook or Outlook express.  Is my
>system safe?
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>NO!  Remember, the problem isn't the bees in the bedroom (Bubbleboy)
>it is the open door that let the bees into the bedroom in the first
>place (the "open door" in Windows).  Bubbleboy is a worm that uses
>Outlook or Outlook express to walk through the open door in Windows
>and to conceivably do bad things to your system.  Even if you don't
>use Outlook or Outlook express, you still remain vulnerable because
>the door remains open.  Bubbleboy may not get you, but the next worm
>might.  The ONLY way to protect yourself from both Bubbleboy and
>future attacks is to CLOSE THE DOOR by downloading and installing the
>software patch from Microsoft.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>I use Microsoft Outlook on a Mac.  Should I worry about Bubbleboy?
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Nope.  Bubbleboy takes advantage of an open door in Windows.  Since
>Macs don't have this open door, Bubbleboy poses no threat to your
>Mac.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Do I really have to download and install this software patch?  Can't I
>just update my virus definitions instead?
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>You really have to download and install the software patch.  Updating
>your virus definitions may protect you from Bubbleboy, but it will do
>nothing about the open door in Windows.  To protect yourself from the
>open door, you're going to have to close it by downloading and
>installing the software patch from Microsoft.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>I Ran Windows Update, But I Didn't See The "Update for Security
>Vulnerabilities in 'Scriptlet.typlib' and 'Eyedog' ActiveX Controls"
>File In The Critical Updates!  What Should I Do?
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Run Windows Update again.  Once you get to the "Select Software" page,
>click on the "Installation History" button at the top of the screen.
>When the history finally loads, look for
>
>      Update for Security Vulnerabilities in "Scriptlet.typlib" and
>      "Eyedog" ActiveX Controls (version 5,0,2720,2700) was
>      successfully installed.
>
>If you see that somewhere on the page, you have already installed the
>security patch.  If you don't see that, keep reading ...
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>I Tried to Run Windows Update, But It Didn't Work!  What Should I Do?
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Download the security patch directly from Microsoft at
>
><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp">
>http://www.microsoft.com/security/Bulletins/ms99-032.asp </A>.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Killer bees in the bedroom?  Patrick, you REALLY need to get out more!
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>You're telling me?!  :P
>
>To sum up, don't worry about Bubbleboy ... worry about the open door!
>If you download the software patch from Microsoft, you will protect
>yourself from Bubbleboy and its progeny.  [Bubbleboy is rather
>innocuous -- it doesn't really do any terrible damage to your
>computer.  New strains of Bubbleboy may not be so kind.  Until you
>close the open door in Windows, you'll be vulnerable.]
>
>I hope this helped.  :)
>
>Patrick Douglas Crispen
><http://www.TOURBUS.com>
><http://www.netsquirrel.com/>