[pct-l] Klez virus - how to prevent

[woodsps@charter.net (WoodsPublishing)]

I know this is really off-topic, but this Klez virus has everyone worried.
I'd rather be trail-bound than the chair-borne ranger that I am.

A little knowledge goes a long way. First of all, go to the website for the
antivirus software of your choice, and review the description of this Klez
virus, how it gets to you, where it lurks and what it does.

I'm also getting this virus attachment - from all directions, and dodged all
bullets so far.
I edit a local pub and receive most of my material from non-professional
volunteers working from home computers, a fertile breeding ground for these
suckers. Somebody out there has our addresses in their book, and this new
prank sends itself to everyone in that book.

How effectively your software protects you is usually how well you instruct
your software to do so.
I am heavily protected, both inside and outside my firewall. Nothing comes
in that I don't allow, and nothing goes out either. Here's how.

I have a small network, with a router that provides some hardware/software
firewall protection.

I also use Norton Internet Security which includes Norton Antivirus. I
update the definitions religiously, and I have my protection level set
fairly high. My brother, an internet security pro working for AT&T,
recommended this setup. The key is setting your protection level as high as
you are comfortable, and setting the parts of your system it will defend,
the kinds of files and actions the software will watch for. My system alert
me every time an application tries to write to the system data file.
Annoying, but necessary these days. You may not need that kind of
protection, but I do.

You may have the toughest watchdog in town, but if you keep it muzzled and
chained in the basement, it doesn't do you much good. Don't just accept the
default settings, review them - they may not be strong enough for your
situation.

I use, but do not endorse:
Linksys Cable/DSL Router with firewall protection
Norton Internet Security, updated regularly
All protections set to medium-high
Pest Patrol, to find that spyware that may be lurking in your background,
writing home to Mama every time you do something it is interested in.

McAfee may be good too, don't know, but probably allows you to set
protection also.
Zone Alarm is almost as good as Norton for controlling system activity, and
has a free download -
    use one or the other, not both - trust me.

After the latest round of virus alerts, I took two hours off yesterday to
scan my system three different ways and I'm clean as far as I can tell.

On the other hand, let's set fire to our keyboards and hit the trail.
Last one out is a hopelessly geekified nerd who would rather spend days and
nights with the shades drawn, working on getting a tan from a monitor,
surrounded by junk food debris and developing carpal tunnel syndrome!

Rick