The MyDoom Trojan continues to wreak havoc on the ’Net, along with new versions of W32.Netsky, and a whole host of other malware intruders.
Of course, there are a minimum set of security conditions necessary in order for you to surf the Net safely, one of which is to regularly update McAfee’s AVERT Stinger, and run the programme.
The folks at McAfee recently released version 2.3.8 of their stand-alone Trojan detection facility. If it isn’t already, running the latest version of Stinger should become a regular part of your weekly computer system maintenance programme. Click here to be taken to the McAfee Stinger download page.
To install McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 click on the link below, and follow the instructions.
PRINT THESE DIRECTIONS
To print the instructions for the setup and installation of McAfee Stinger 2.3.8, with your browser open, click File | Print, and highlight the radio button beside the word ‘pages’. Type in 1-2. Click Print.
Here are the directions for the installation of McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 …
1. Close down all programmes, other than your browser — which is currently open to the McAfee AVERT Stinger page — remembering to save any data, documents, etc.
2. Under the wording ‘How Do I Use Stinger?’ click on ‘Download Stinger.exe’ to download the latest version of McAfee Stinger (v 2.3.8, as of August 9, 2004). A dialogue box will come up with a dot inside the radio box, to the left of ‘Save it to disk’; click OK. Across from the ‘Save in’ dialogue box which comes up, click the down arrow, choose Local Disk (C:), and double-click on the folder where you save your downloaded files (generally, My Download Files). Across from File name, at the bottom of the Save in dialogue box, opposite File name, overwrite the word ‘stinger’ and type in McAfee Stinger 2.3.8. Click Save. The file will download quickly.
3. Close your browser, and all other programmes, and return to your desktop. Go to your file manager, either Windows Explorer or PowerDesk. Open your Windows Explorer, or PowerDesk. Locate the folder to which you downloaded McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 (e.g. My Download Files). Highlight the wording of the folder so that it appears in blue. On the right-hand side, locate the McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 file you just downloaded. Highlight it.
4. Now, highlight the wording Local Disk (C:) once again, and locate and highlight the Documents and Settings folder under Local Disk (C:) [for this, you must be using Windows XP]. Click the + sign to the left of the wording Documents and Settings. Locate your name, or the word User, under Documents and Settings. Click the + sign to the left of your name / User. Under your name, or User, highlight the Start Menu folder. Click the + sign to the left of Start Menu. Now, highlight the Maintenance subfolder under Start Menu, or simply highlight the wording Start Menu.
5. Next, highlight My Download Files once again, under Local Disk (C:). Locate the McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 file, and highlight it. Slowly depress (don’t click) the right button of your mouse and highlight the McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 file, holding down the right-button of your mouse, ‘carry’ (i.e. ‘copy’) the McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 file to the Maintenance subfolder under Start Menu (or somewhere in the Start Menu), and let the right button of your mouse go. A dialogue box will come up; choose ‘Create Shortcuts Here’. Close your Windows Explorer / PowerDesk, and return to your desktop.
6. Click on your Start Menu, bring your mouse cursor up to the Maintenance folder, or into your Start Menu (you should create a Maintenance folder if you haven’t got one), and within the Maintenance folder in the Start Menu, bring your mouse cursor ‘inside’ the Maintenance subfolder, right-click and choose Sort by Name. Next, locate the old McAfee Stinger shortcut, if you have one stored there, and right-click on it. When the dialogue box comes up, choose Delete from the dialogue box which comes up; click Yes. Now, return to the ‘new’ McAfee Stinger shortcut; you’ll probably have to rename it (the shortcut is likely called McAfee Stinger 2.3); right-click on the McAfee Stinger 2.3 shortcut, and choose Rename. Opposite the ‘new name’ wording, type in McAfee Stinger 2.3.8. Click OK.
7. Next, click on the renamed McAfee Stinger 2.3.8 shortcut. Click on Preferences. Check both items under ‘Scan these targets’. Under ‘On virus detection’, choose Delete. Under ‘Detection’, choose everything you can (so that a check appears in the boxes). Under Interface, do not check the all files scanned box. If you’ve got a D:\ drive, click Add. Type in D:\. Click OK.
8. Click on the Scan Now button. Wait for McAfee Stinger to do its work.
