This is a REAL warning folks! From NRaD's computer people.
And believe me they know of what they speak.
Joel Baumbaugh (Baumbaug@nosc.mil)
NRaD
San Diego, CA
Std. Disclaimer: While this message was produced by the
Navy/Fed. Govt. (NRaD), I did not actually receive a Cart-blanc
to send it out on the net so I hope I don't get my hand
slapped!!!
P.S. The first person used here is not myself, I deleted the
original header. Don't e-mail me back questions 'cause I won't
know the answers.... J.B.
PC users, evidently there is a Trojan Horse hiding under the
guise of a file called AOLGOLD.zip. Someone has introduced this
file as a "wonderful" new version of the America Online software.
Please do not confuse this with the promotional copies being
distributed via direct mailing or bundling with computer
magazines. What we are talking about here is a file that someone
may mail to you as an attachment to email or place on to a
Bulletin Board System. If you should receive such a file, trash
it immediately. Do not attempt to decompress it with PKUNZIP.
When decompressed and executed, it can destroy files and your
hard drive setup.
I have verified the existence of AOLGOLD.ZIP with America
Online--because they obviously are interested that something
harmful is being distributed in their name. The have seen it and
know the harm that it can cause. The dangerous thing about this,
folks, is that there is no guarantee that such a file will still
have these obvious earmarks if someone sent it to you.
It doesn't have to be America Online. They might say that it is
a new driver for your HP Printer. Just be wary and suspicious.
If you can't be dissuaded from accepting things from people
because you just have to have the latest, greatest, and fastest,
then at least be particular about whom you accept things from.
Despite our constant warnings, we still find users who bring in
diskettes that infect systems here at work. STOP DOING THIS!!!