Re: A question for the group

From: MikeMandaville (mikemandaville_at_aol.com)
Date: 09/04/04 

Date: 04 Sep 2004 15:34:11 GMT

>>I believe that I have caught my computer dialing a number which I do not
>want
>>it to dial. Is such a thing even possible? More specifically, I have
>>several numbers for my local sign-up service, and I do not want my computer
>>to dial any number other than one of these. Is it possible that I might
>have
>>unintentionally downloaded a virus which is capable of doing this? Is any
>>virus capable of doing this? Has anyone else ever experienced this problem?
>
>>Do I now need to build a box to defend my lame computer? Please help!
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>Its quite possible, and means you are running a flavor of Microsoft Windows
>:-)
>
>Viruses can certainly dial a number. I suggest you maintain a good virus
>detection software package like McAfee or Norton, or whatever pleases you.
>Search the web for tools to remove spyware as well. You can buy firewall
>software, and XP has one built in, tho its not all that great.
>
>The nature of Microsoft software is that it is always willing to give up
>control of itself to another piece of software, so you have to be careful and
>pay attention. For reasons such as you are seeing, I stay away from Microsoft
>products. There have been instances when even Windows itself tries to "phone
>home" and either download something from father bill, or upload something
>that
>apparently he wants to see.
>
>If your modem is external, turn it off. If its an internal device,
>consider
>unplugging the line. Inconvenient for sure, but that is life in the world of
>windows <shrug>
>
>HTH,
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Hello, HT!

When I bought my computer, about a year ago, it had a Linux operating system
already installed, and I therefore surfed the web with Linux straight through
the mowing season last year, even though this version of Linux did not even
allow downloads, and even though I could have gotten a free internet by simply
installing XP, which I already had. I therefore know where you are coming
from, and, in fact, I will be going back to Linux again, once I drop AOL, which
is not Linuix compatible. Once I discovered that the AOL software disables the
XP firewall, that was the last straw.

By the way, I have run across a virus which will not only hijack my dialer, but
will also disable my computer's sound system, so that I will not hear the dial
tones! I have found a way to override this, though. Right now I have the
phone off the hook.

Mike Mandaville

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