Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Computer trick

Just got this today. What do you computer savvy VC members think?
Second Avenue.
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HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ADDRESS BOOK!
I learned a computer trick today that's really ingenious in its
Simplicity. As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into your
computer
It heads straight for your email address book, and sends itself to
Everyone in there, thus infecting all your friends and associates.
This trick won't keep the virus from getting into your computer,
but it
Will stop it from using your address book to spread further, and it will
Alert you to the fact that the worm has gotten into your system.
Here's what you do:
First, open your address book and click on "new contact," just as
you
Would do if you were adding a new friend to your list of email
addresses.
In the window where you would type your friend's first name, type in
"A".
For the screen name or email address, type "AAAAAAA@AAA. AAA".
Now, here's what you've done and why it works:
The "name" "A" will be placed at the top of your address book as
Entry#1.
This will be where the worm will start in an effort to send
itself to
All your friends.
But, when it tries to send itself to AAAAAAA@AAA. AAA, it will be
Undeliverable because of the phony email address you entered. If the
First
Attempt fails (which it will because of the phony address), the worm
Goes
No further and your friends will not be infected.

Here's the second great advantage of this method:
If an email cannot be delivered, you will be notified of this in
your In
Box almost immediately. Hence, if you ever get an email telling you
that an
Email addressed toAAAAAAA@AAA. AAAA could not be delivered, you know
right
Away that you have the worm virus in your system. You can then take
Steps to get rid of it! Pretty slick huh?

6 comments:

guy5479 MSN said...

I was advised about this trick about a year ago from a relative in the US and I have adopted it. Guy

biking2006 MSN said...

I may try it myself. What would happen the the worm/virus a.h.. uses the AAAA address along with ours? I suppose it can't hurt to adopt the advice either way. All I know is, I don't know.
Bill

happydi2 MSN said...

Here's a comment regarding the address book .A google search says that this may work in a very limited application as this presumed hoax has been around since 2001. For more info you may wish to check : www.antivirus.about.com/cs/hoaxes/p/aaaa.htm  and / or  www.hoax-slayer.com/virus-control-hoax.html     Dianne    

biking2006 MSN said...

Well it can't hurt anyway. Thanks for the tip.
Bill

happydi2 MSN said...

HI again:   No it can't hurt but I don't want people to get a false sense of security thinking if they do this they don't have to worry, we must still be very careful and diligent.   Dianne.

biking2006 MSN said...

Absolutely. Viruses and worms are really nasty.