Trojan Worm (Trojan.Peacomm) .. the largest threat of 2007 ???

[CGB]

I just got an email from Zone Alarm saying "There has been a recent surge in
email spam containing the threat known as Storm Trojan Worm (Trojan.Peacomm)
which is quickly becoming the largest threat of 2007." I have been running
the free version of AVG anti virus for a couple of months now and thought
I'd check to see if the definition file contains trojan.peacomm. I searched
the web site at Grisoft and they have no listing of Storm Trojan Worm
(Trojan.Peacomm) that I can find.

Is this really becoming the largest threat of 2007??

Have I outsmarted myself by using AVG when it may not have defenses again
Trojan. Peacomm??

Zone Alarm goes on to say, "Your free ZoneAlarm Firewall will not protect
you from the Trojan Storm. The only ZoneAlarm products that will protect
against this worm are ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite and ZoneAlarm
Antivirus."

Do I need to improve my coverage, most especially, start paying for these
programs?

Thanks in advance.

Chet

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

CGB wrote:

> I just got an email from Zone Alarm saying ...

Lots of info from a Google search:
<http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9016 420>
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/021207-storm-trojan-ignites-worm.html?fsrc=netflash-rss>
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130792-c,trojanhorses/article.html>

> Have I outsmarted myself by using AVG when it may not have defenses
> again Trojan. Peacomm??

So don't open unknown attachments from strangers, or click on unexpected
links that show up in instant messages. :-)

> Do I need to improve my coverage, most especially, start paying for
> these programs?

No, just practice Safe Hex.
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

Use something other than Windows.

--
-bts
-Motorcycles defy gravity; cars just suck

[Leythos]

On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:13:20 -0400, CGB wrote:

> I just got an email from Zone Alarm saying "There has been a recent surge in
> email spam containing the threat known as Storm Trojan Worm (Trojan.Peacomm)
> which is quickly becoming the largest threat of 2007." I have been running
> the free version of AVG anti virus for a couple of months now and thought
> I'd check to see if the definition file contains trojan.peacomm. I searched
> the web site at Grisoft and they have no listing of Storm Trojan Worm
> (Trojan.Peacomm) that I can find.
>
> Is this really becoming the largest threat of 2007??
>
> Have I outsmarted myself by using AVG when it may not have defenses again
> Trojan. Peacomm??
>
> Zone Alarm goes on to say, "Your free ZoneAlarm Firewall will not protect
> you from the Trojan Storm. The only ZoneAlarm products that will protect
> against this worm are ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite and ZoneAlarm
> Antivirus."
>
> Do I need to improve my coverage, most especially, start paying for these
> programs?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Chet

It's an attachment - you have many ways to protect yourself from
attachments. Even without AV software of any type you can stop yourself
from being compromised by an attachment.

--
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*** WARNING - this links contains foul/pornographic content of an
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website ***
http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/leythos.htm
http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/bughunter.htm

[CGB]

Thanks for replies. I think I'm fairly savvy about avoiding the obvious and
I run an anti-virus program (AVG) and use mucho updated programs checking
for spyware/malware etc., including SpyBot, AdAware, Spyware Blaster,
WinPatrol, AVG Anti Spyware, ZoneAlarm firewall, current Host file from the
MS-MVP site, etc. My area of confusion is that if this is such a BIG
threat, why can't I find anything on Grisoft that informs me that they know
about it and that it is watched for with their program. i.e. keeping my AVG
program up-to-date protects me from this. Symantec acknowledges it and says
they screen for it, but not Grisoft. If I knew that Grisoft knew and watched
for it, I'd just nonchalantly go back to my full time job of surfing the net
and forget about it!

Chet

[Andy Walker]

CGB wrote:

>Thanks for replies. I think I'm fairly savvy about avoiding the obvious and
>I run an anti-virus program (AVG) and use mucho updated programs checking
>for spyware/malware etc., including SpyBot, AdAware, Spyware Blaster,
>WinPatrol, AVG Anti Spyware, ZoneAlarm firewall, current Host file from the
>MS-MVP site, etc. My area of confusion is that if this is such a BIG
>threat, why can't I find anything on Grisoft that informs me that they know
>about it and that it is watched for with their program. i.e. keeping my AVG
>program up-to-date protects me from this. Symantec acknowledges it and says
>they screen for it, but not Grisoft. If I knew that Grisoft knew and watched
>for it, I'd just nonchalantly go back to my full time job of surfing the net
>and forget about it!
>
>Chet

It's possible that AVG calls it by another name, that's not uncommon
among various AV vendors.

As for ZA sending you a "scare tactic" email, I am getting very
annoyed with ZoneLabs and their incessant spam. I purchased ZA AV for
one of my machines about a year ago (they have been spamming me for
months to "upgrade") and I will *not* be renewing the subscription.
Although it does provide a slightly better firewall than the "free"
version, I have been less than impressed with the user interface of
the AV, and the constant spam from ZL makes it a very sore spot. They
do update the AV regularly and it appears to provide a good level of
protection, but ZL's spam has become so bad I simply will never again
recommend their products to anyone.

YMMV

[CGB]

I was kind of thinking that the ZL email might be a "scare tactic." If it's
so obvious and has been around for so long, surely they have it covered.

I run the free ZL firewall and have been quite happy with it, but then
again, I don't know if it has kept anything out or not. I have no baddies
on my machine, however. ZL firewall has a good reputation and they've not
bugged me with spam, whatsoever. It's been a delight to have their
firewall, from what I can tell.

If you are unhappy with the ZL AV, I've been delighted with the Grisoft, AVG
program. It's also free. After years, I dumped Norton because they want so
much $ to renew that it got out of hand. AVG is supposedly quite good
(maybe this "really bad trojan" is covered by AVG but under a different
name, which I bet) and they update very frequently. I've been delighted
with it also, as with the ZL firewall.

I mention above because you don't sound real happy with the ZA AV and there
may be a good option for you, free too!!

Chet
>
> As for ZA sending you a "scare tactic" email, I am getting very
> annoyed with ZoneLabs and their incessant spam. I purchased ZA AV for
> one of my machines about a year ago (they have been spamming me for
> months to "upgrade") and I will *not* be renewing the subscription.
> Although it does provide a slightly better firewall than the "free"
> version, I have been less than impressed with the user interface of
> the AV, and the constant spam from ZL makes it a very sore spot. They
> do update the AV regularly and it appears to provide a good level of
> protection, but ZL's spam has become so bad I simply will never again
> recommend their products to anyone.
>
> YMMV