CONTACTS 
0201 - Intel Corporation                    408 765 8080
020101 - Mr. Morris E. Jones; Director of Architecture =408 545 9521
0202 - Symantic - Norton                    541 984 7879
020201 - Mr. David NLN
020202 - Technical Support

SUBJECTS
Anti-virus, Norton
Information Organization & Maintenance
Virus Protection

0805 -    ..
0806 - Summary/Objective
0807 -
080701 - Follow up ref SDS 10 0000, ref SDS 7 0000.
080702 -
080703 - We have purchased Norton virus protection program.
080704 -
080705 - Sent ref DIT 1 to Morris asking him to comment on advisability and
080706 - configuration for virus protection.
080707 -
080708 - Received ideas from Morris. ref DRT 1
080709 -
080710 - Sent reply, ref DIT 2, asking why he uses McAfee over Norton, and how
080711 - he handles Word files. ref SDS 0 8456
080712 -
080713 -     [On 990423 intalled Norton, found virus in 1 file. ref SDS 11]
080714 -
080715 -
080716 -
080717 -  ..
0808 -
0809 -
0810 - Progress
0811 -
081101 -  ..
081102 - Virus Protection Evaluation
081103 -
081104 - A few weeks ago there was a major computer virus problem world-wide
081105 - called Melissa.
081106 -
081107 - I think we encountered the problem, based on reports in the news that
081108 - said Melissa is spread by email with a subject along the lines of
081109 - "Very important message..."
081110 -
081111 -     [On 990423 intalled Norton, found virus in 1 file. ref SDS 11]
081112 -
081113 -     [On 990727 Office 2000 presents increases risks from virus
081114 -     problems. ref SDS 13 9788]
081115 -
081116 - We received a letter that seemed to fit this description, before
081117 - getting the news report about Melissa.
081118 -
081119 -     [On 990424 letter could have eminated from Morris' computer at
081120 -     Intel where Melissa hit hard. ref SDS 11 9638]
081121 -
081122 - After opening the letter, I suspected it was bogus and so closed and
081123 - deleted it.  This may have saved us, if in fact this was the Melissa
081124 - virus, because according to the reporting, the virus only initiates,
081125 - if an attached file is opened.  I did not open the attached file.
081126 - ..
081127 - Yesterday, there was a report in the news of another, more
081128 - harmful, virus that is programmed to execute on 990426.  This seems to
081129 - suggest that the virus may have been downloaded inadertently, but has
081130 - not executed, and is waiting to launch on 990426.
081131 -
081132 - The virus is harder to detect because it uses a "fill space" method.
081133 - Rather than attaching itself to an existing file and making the file
081134 - bigger, this virus inserts itself into blank space within files.
081135 -
081136 -     [On 990430 article on Chernyble virus. ref SDS 12 4620]
081137 -
081138 - So, this requires investigation.  Almost seems like a scam for the
081139 - virus protection vendors.
081140 -
081141 - We purchased Norton's virus protecton program, v. 5.0.
081142 -
081143 - It can be configured to launch automatically, and to check all
081144 - downloaded files.
081145 -
081146 - I am concerned about the "automatic" aspect.
081147 -
081148 - Will this be a greater nusiance than is warranted?
081149 -
081150 - We have had 3 instances of virus problems in the past 15 years.  Most
081151 - recently Melissa, which did no damage.  The next previous problem was
081152 - on 950321, and it turned out not to be a virus problem.  The first and
081153 - only real problem was on 920803, when Lotus 123, which was purchased
081154 - new from Egghead, turned out to be infected. ref SDS 7 8778
081155 -
081156 - I am wondering if this record justifies the time consumed by constant
081157 - virus checks.
081158 -
081159 - We backup everyday, and have a full system backup once a month.
081160 -
081161 - It takes about a day to format the drives, restore a computer system,
081162 - and get it all set up to function normally.
081163 -
081164 - A new virus typically is going to trump virus protection, because that
081165 - is the goal.  New products take months to get to market, so this kind
081166 - of remedy is always going to be at a disadvantage.
081167 -
081168 - Should we install Norton's program, or hold it in reserve?
081169 -
081170 - Does it offer effective proactive protection, or is it always out of
081171 - date?
081172 -
081173 - I just wonder if Morris uses this kind of daily virus check or what
081174 - level of effort he makes, as a guide on how to configure the Norton
081175 - virus program, or even if it is worth it to install the thing, since
081176 - often it is another TSR that takes up system resources.
081177 -
081178 -
081179 -  ..
0812 -
0813 -
0814 - 1424 received letter from Morris
0815 -
081501 - Received ref DRT 1 advising Morris uses McAfee instead of Norton for
081502 - virus protection.
081503 -
081504 - Any particular reason for using McAfee?
081505 -
081506 -    •  Is one better than the other for specific kinds of applications
081507 -       or circumstances?
081508 -
081509 -    •  Does one cover a broader range of viruses, run faster, detect
081510 -       "fill space" viruses, rather than merely check file size?
081511 -
081512 -    •  Does one or the other require more system resources, or take
081513 -       more time to manage, apply?
081514 -
081515 - He runs it only once a week, ref DRT 1 5347, which is about what I
081516 - would like to do.  Norton's manual indicates that autoscan can be
081517 - turned off, but contemplate it will be run primarily on automatic
081518 - pilot.
081519 -
081520 - He has Word set not to automatically execute macros.
081521 -
081522 -    I wonder how this helps?
081523 -
081524 -    Does he test the file before executing macros?
081525 -
081526 -       I don't use Word very often, but Millie does.  I assume L&C has
081527 -       safety procedures, but it would be helpful to get Morris'
081528 -       procedures to pass along.
081529 -
081530 - Virsus seem to be getting increasingly destructive. ref DRT 1 2997,
081531 - moving from ingenious pranks, to invidious harm.
081532 -
081533 - Sent ref DIT 2 requesting clarification.
081534 -
081535 -
081536 -
081537 -