Contact via Virus
Funny about these insidious through-the-e-mail virus attacks.
I received the Snow White virus about six or eight weeks ago. It came from a woman with whom I've had a scant few business dealings. Realizing immediately that it was the product of one of those "send to the address book" worms, I dashed off a note to her. The gist of it: to let her know the virus was being spread courtesy of her address book, and to offer her the suggestion that she inoculate, and let her address book recipients know what happened.
That woman never bothered to reply. It is either bad manners, bad form, or she was inundated, overwhelmed, embarrassed, or who knows what? Not something I lost any sleep over, that's for sure.
The I Love You virus came to my laptop last year, and I got rid of it immediately. I never knew from whom or where it arrived, but I did know to act immediately.
Two or three years ago there was a hit I took from the Happy New Year virus. This one came from the guy who signed the checks at one of my clients. Damn! His e-mail is the kind gets opened pronto! When I saw an attachment, even though it was an .exe file, I hit it.
Anything this guy wanted to share with me (which was mostly money, or spreadsheets about how much money, or some other compensation determining matter), I wanted to check out. An .exe file from him? Okay.....maybe it was new wiring information or some other bank-related procedure.
No such luck. It was that horrid virus, which took some time and effort to eliminate, but it finally got eradicated. Norton got it; McAffee didn't, at that time.
Yesterday afternoon the Anna Kournikova virus showed up. Norton caught it immediately, warning me as it arrived. Hail, Norton!
Again, the virus came from a business associate, but this time from one with whom I do trade some e-mails, although not too often. Now here's the funny part: I sent him a note to alert him that his address book had gone the "send it to all" route. And what happens? Another guy I know, who actually had introduced me to the fellow from whom it came, sent a blanket e-mail to everyone in his address book, telling them not to open the virus-ridden e-mail if it came from him.
I accept this as an apology by proxy. After all, he did introduce me to the original sender!
Who ever would have thought that a virus would be a way to stay in touch with associates one might not have thought to, or reason to, contact?
Gadzooks -- a positive spin to the virus issue.
Wow, with this type of thinking, maybe if things become desperate, I should go become a flack for a tobacco company!