FWD>Virus Alert on Netscape Navigator
>Original message: " Netscape Virus Alert" [#20337584]
>From: <POSTMASTER,FORUM@FORUM.VA.GOV>
>
>PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO ALL VA FACILITIES ON ALL
SYSTEMS
>IMMEDIATELY !!! THANKS.
>THE MESSAGE FOLLOWS:
>
>The VA Austin Automation Center (AAC) has received a message from the
>Department of Defense regarding a computer virus on the World Wide
>Web. If you have anyone at your station using Netscape version 2.0 or
2.1,
>you should have them disable Java ASAP to avoid the possibility of
picking
>up a Java virus. Message from DOD follows:
>
>
> URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!
>
> WHAT IS THE PROBLEM -- A hostile Java applet is stalking the
World
> Wide Web. It is a Black Widow Java called JAVA. Princeton
University
> Researchers have found hostile java applets on the World Wide
Web.
> They reside on web sites set up with a malicious intent, and are
> downloaded and executed automatically when an innocent user
visits
> that site.
>
> WHAT IT COULD DO -- These Java applets are programs that can
destroy
> data and interfere with your network. They may even upload
sensitive
> material to a third party.
>
> WHO DOES THIS APPLY TO -- This applies to all users using
> Netscape Navigator 2.0 or Netscape Navigator 2.01.
>
> HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELVES -- The (DOD) Computer Emergency
> Response Team (CERT) staff recommends disabling Java in Netscape
> Navigator 2.0 or Netscape Navigator 2.01 until patches are
available.
>
> WHEN SHOULD THIS BE DONE -- AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!!
>
> INSTRUCTIONS ON DISABLING JAVA IN NETSCAPE
> 1. Open Netscape Navigator.
> 2. Pull down the Help menu.
> 3. Click on About Netscape.
> 4. Check to see if you have version 2.0 or 2.01. If so,
continue
> with the next step. If not, then you can not be affected by the
> Hostile Java.
> 5. Pull down the Options menu.
> 6. Click on Security Preferences.
> 7. Under General, place a "X" in the Disable Java and the
> Disable Java Script box in the Java window.
>
> This is a short term solution. Netscape Navigator 2.02 is
supposed
> to contain the fix as a permanent solution.