Virus! (big surprise, huh?)

[The Pezman]

A virus has penetrated into the deepest of Limewire's network!

It masquerades under several different program names, and is zipped. Once downloaded, all it contains is an ominous program known as "setup.exe." I ran it once, and luckily Norton caught it.

The good news is that this virus is easily identifiable: it is always exactly 851.7 KB, no matter what file it may be named as. I hope that with this information, the Limewire staff can locate and isolate this dastardly program.

[Only A Hobo]

If you type in 851.7 into the forum search engine, you will find you are not the first to notice this.

However it is a good reminder that a size filter is something that LW desparately needs. Also if you search Size Filter you should find some interesting reading.

I think this is the latest thread: http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...7&goto=newpost (if you ignore one man's tirade against the iPod which caused me no offense!! I shall return on that one later...)

LIMEWIRE NEEDS A SIZE FILTER SOON PLEASE

[The Pezman]

...the thread you pointed me to doesn't seem to address the 851.7 virus specifically. And I don't know when the next version of LW will be released or if the size filters will be in order, but I think isolating this virus is something that can be done now. Because the content of the file is always the same, it doesn't sound too hard to isolate it based on that.

[ultracross]

there is nothing LimeWire LLC can do. LimeWire LLC does not control, monitor or endorse any messages or content on the Gnutella network.

[Viffer800]

Came on to this board for the very same reason. I noticed that Zonealarm and Mailwasher were infested with the virus - even one at 69.4kb.

[Only A Hobo]

Sorry I didn't respond earlier ... odd things are happening mainly e-mail notifications have dropped off a bit!

Originally posted by The Pezman
...the thread you pointed me to doesn't seem to address the 851.7 virus specifically. And I don't know when the next version of LW will be released or if the size filters will be in order, but I think isolating this virus is something that can be done now. Because the content of the file is always the same, it doesn't sound too hard to isolate it based on that.

No the thread I pointed you to was about Size filters.which seemed somewhat relevant as the subject of your post concerned a file of a certain size

I suggested you use the search feature for 851.7 so you could see how many different threads there were on the subject already and browse them at your leisure.

There are a number of viruses out there and it is up to anyone who connects to the internet with a browser, p2p application or any other means to make sure they have adequate virus protection.

Ultracross put it very plainly that Limewire cannot stop people from downloading anything from each other and that includes viruses.

Regular readers of these forums know full well not to downlad any file of 851.7. All limewire could do is provide a filter that can remove that or any other size file from appearing in search results. It has no power or ability to isolate the virus itself.. but doing something to prevent people downloading and opening the damn thing is something they can do and provision of a size filter is a possibility .. hence my link.

[Viffer800]

I'm curious as to how the virus manages to infect just about every download that is a programme. Is it a case of lax security measures by users thus downloading/uploading the virus. If so, why a high % of all programmes?

[ukbobboy01]

Viffer800

Although the reason you have just given, for viruses on the network, is partially correct, i.e. too many newbies without anti-virus scanners or firewalls. The main reason, I believe, is the RIAA and MPAA are paying lackey companies to infest the P2P network with viruses.

Now, its an open secret that the RIAA are paying (their crony) companies to seed the network with false files and since the RIAA (& MPAA) have vowed to bring the network down its only a short step from false files to viruses.



UK Bob

[ultracross]

ok. well im gonna lay back on my bed and try to explain this very easy thing. viruses arer like the devil, the devil only tempts the users into doing something, he can never do anything but tempt that user. when the user is tempted enough to download this devil and "sell their soul to him" it is the users fault. the user had free will to download this file, or not. the user was tempted to download the file because of something called "spam and result replication" these files are either 1) auto generated to match the search request, or 2) preconcieved and packaged with the intent to tempt this user into downloading it. it is the requirement of the users on the network to prevent these viruses from spreading. but damn, there are alot of dumbasses out there. ALOT! (mostly kazaa migration ) but the first step to prevention is education.

(sorry if there is alot of misspellings, im not even looking at the screen or my keyboard while i was typing this, actually i am looking at the monitor but its 5 feet away and on the floor so i can only tell when i make big typo mistakes. )

PEACE!!

[Sphinx]

like Ive said before you are all downloading off the Gnutella network, Limewire is just the app that connects you. I suggest you all try to get a virus protection program while downloading and avoid the files that dont look right to you.