Re: that tilda on the desktop
- From: "Caitlyn McFarland" <ladylavendar@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 13:22:32 -0500
thanks. I've now filed this in the "annoying but harmless" file.
Cait
----- Original Message -----
From: "Margaret Thomas" <iluvtoread@xxxxxxx>
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 12:26 PM
Subject: Re: that tilda on the desktop
> Here is a post from Debbie on the old JFWlite list that I saved:
>
> I remember reading something about this in Fred Langa's newsletter
> awhile
> back. I couldn't find that exact article, but I found several with
> basically the same information. Here is one of them:
>
> http://www.pchell.com/support/tildefile.shtml
>
> What is the Tilde (~) file that appears on Desktop
>
> What is this ~ file?
> The file appearing on your desktop with the filename ~, commonly
> known
> as a tilde, is a backup of your Windows Address Book. It is appearing
> as a
> result of the April 2003 Cumulative Patch for Outlook Express
> (330994). The
> patch is installed for Outlook Express 5.5 or 6 in response to a
> vulnerability that could allow an attacker to run code of the
> attacker's
> choice on a user's machine. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker
> would
> have to be able to cause Windows to open a specially constructed MHTML
> URL,
> either on a web site or included in an HTML email message.
>
> Unfortunately, there is a bug in the patch.Whenever you make a
> change
> in your Windows Address Book file (*.wab file), Windows makes a backup
> of
> this file. Generally this backup is called username.wa~ , however
> after the
> patch is installed the backup gets renamed to just ~ instead and saved
> in
> the directory where you start your Outlook Express. Most of the time,
> people
> start Outlook Express from a shortcut on their desktop, so the backup
> file
> gets placed there. This is how the tilde (~) file arrives on your
> desktop.
>
> Is the File a Virus and will Spyware or Anti-virus Utilities
> Find it?
>
> Because the file is simply a backup of your Windows Address
> Book,
> spyware searching utilities or anti-virus products wont flag it as
> anything
> suspicious.
>
> Can I Delete the ~ File?
>
> The simple answer is yes, the file can be deleted. However if it
> is
> deleted, you wont have a backup of your Windows Address Book if a
> virus or
> something else corrupts it or you accidentally delete the information
> in the
> address book. So I wouldnt necessarily delete the file without backing
> it up
> first. Personally, here are the steps I would take to remain safe in
> case
> you need the file again.
>
> 1.. Right click on the file and choose Rename
>
> 2.. Type in a name for the file and add the .wab extension to
> it
> For Example, you might want to rename it to addressbook.wab or
> something similar
>
> 3.. Now, put a blank, formatted floppy disk in your floppy
> drive and
> right-click on the newly named file
>
> 4.. Choose Send To, Floppy Drive (most likely A)
>
> 5.. Now the file is backed up in case of emergency,
> right-click on
> the file on your desktop and choose Delete
> Each time you make a change to your address book, this file will
> reappear so its a good idea to keep that floppy drive around and make
> a
> backup each time you make changes. This protects you from losing
> valuable
> email addresses in case of a disaster.
>
> Is There a Patch to fix this?
>
> Although Microsoft has indicated that it knows about this
> problem and
> intends to make a patch available, they have not released one yet, as
> of
> July 2003.
>
> Can I uninstall the April 2003 patch to fix it?
>
> Yes, you can uninstall the patch, this will fix the tilde (~)
> file
> from appearing, however you will not be protected from this security
> vulnerability either. I wouldn't advise anyone doing this.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Margaret
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "chevelle" <chevelle33@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 12:03 PM
> Subject: Re: that tilda on the desktop
>
>
> Hi there,
> Debbie posted some e-mails on this subject. I think I might still have
> the
> e-mail. I think she did tell how to get rid of it. If you need me to I
> can
> try to find it in my mails that I have saved somewhere. If you want
> you want
> you can write me off list at: chevelle33@xxxxxxxxxxx
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Caitlyn McFarland" <ladylavendar@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 11:18 AM
> Subject: Re: that tilda on the desktop
>
>
> > ah, ok. thanks, I just didn't know what it was/is, and my sighted
> partner
> > says that she's never seen this on any of the computers she's worked
> on,
> > or
> > on her own, only mine.
> >
> > so, at the jfwlite website, would I lookunder windows 98 hints, or
> outlook
> > express or what?
> >
> > Cait
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ricque" <ricque@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 10:46 AM
> > Subject: Re: that tilda on the desktop
> >
> >
> >> Hi Caitlyn,
> >> What you're seeing on the desktop is probably a copy of your
> address
> >> book.
> >> Everytime you make a change in your address book, a new copy is
> made.
> >> This probably has nothing to do with spyware, or anything of that
> nature.
> >> www.jfwlite.com
> >> may have a helpful hint about this.
> >> Richard Justice
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Caitlyn McFarland" <ladylavendar@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 10:25 AM
> >> Subject: that tilda on the desktop
> >>
> >>
> >> > Hi,
> >> > I am wondering about an item on my desktop that seems to be
> related to
> >> jfw, but I'm not sure it is. It's a file called ~. It's empty,
> and if I
> >> delete it, nothing is hurt, but it keeps coming back. I am running
> the
> >> current version of Norton and auto protect is on, am also running a
> >> decent
> >> spyware blocker, etc. I am running jfw 4.51.138 and win 98.
> Anybody
> >> have
> > a
> >> clue as to what this is, and how to stop it from appearing and
> > reappearing?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks,
> >> > Caitlyn
> >> >
>
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