I guess I will join this thread and post my 2 cents in as well. Let us
start with the basics: What is a virus? According to Microsoft, a
viruses are, "(Computer viruses are) software programs that are
deliberately designed to interfere with computer operation, record,
corrupt, or delete data, or spread themselves to other computers and
throughout the Internet." This includes *.bat files. So can *.bat files
be viruses? Of course. It is a possibility. However, *.bat files are old
technology (but that is still in use today). The probability of a *.bat
virus spreading on the internet is slim; at least one that is spreading
quickly in the wild. A batch file is a collection of commands; although
not as sophisticated as today's scripts.

I remember old batch files that would reboot your computer and format
your c:\ drive or worse fdisk the whole drive. To knock on wood, I have
not run across many viruses nowadays that do this. IMHO, I worry about
spyware 10x more than viruses.

I feel as if I have digressed, so I will stop now. :-) I hope that helps


--
Michael D. Alligood
MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
CIW Certified Instructor



"BoaterDave" wrote in message
:

Ooops! Sorry about that - I was deep in thought and sent the blank response
in error.

Perhaps it was Divine intervention - I then saw the post from Kerry Brown.
Or, as he's known elsewhere, TechB.

What you couldn't know, gls858, is that my younger son, Nick, who would have
been 36 tomorrow, tragically collapsed and died almost 8 years ago. No cause
for his death was found. He was a computer guru, with a first class degree
in Physics, and worked for ICL. He could *always* answer my queries ........
and I miss him.

I appreciate *your* help. Thank you.

My basic understanding now is that, as a 'bat' file is not a 'virus' per se,
it would (probably) not be picked up by an anti-virus programme. However, I
suspect that if such a file was surepticiously placed on one's PC, it could
issue commands to make one's PC do just about anything, including being able
to make adjustments to, in my case, NIS 2006.

If I'm right about this (and I recognise that I may have got it wrong yet
again!) unless one specifically seeks out a suspicious 'bat' file, one's PC
could apparently be working normally whilst, at the same time, be acting as
a 'zombie' for unscrupulous persons unknown. (Perhaps that is what my
'script kiddie' meant - he's no academic, that's for sure!)

Referring to the post from KB, I'd just mention that he 'advises' on the N/g
to which I was lured (by email) following posts I made here with MS back in
February. I was highly suspicious then, and still feel that there may be
those with malicious intent residing there (perhaps using the PC's of other
newsgroup members as zombies too - just my theory!). I'm aware that some
'members' there scan these MS newsgroups - perhaps looking for other
vulnerable 'clients' - I could determine no other reason.

I didn't know what a 'Troll' was this time last year. All I've been trying
to do is identify just how the 'bad guys' wreak havoc on the 'Net, not
simply 'clean' my own machine.

FWIW (and I didn't know what that meant either, then! g)

David
__________________________________________________ ____


"gls858" wrote in message
...

It's not the fact that's it's a .bat file that makes it good or bad
it's the commands that it contains. A .bat is simply a series of commands.
If you want to see the contents of a .bat file simply right click and
select edit. If you or your so called "script kiddie" don't understand the
commands contained in the batch file I would suggest you find a real
computer programmer to explain to you what the file is intended to do.
Batch files are commonly used to perform redundant tasks on a schedule.

gls858