Get rid of Kavo Virus...

Kavo
I’ve read many forums with regards to Kavo virus, which had infected my office PC last two months. Alhamdulellah I managed to get rid of it last week.

What is Kavo Virus? According to Symantec, they discovered Kavo Virus on August 27, 2007 and classified it as worm. This worm has been categorized by many as Trojan Drop. It steals security information, scripts, commands, etc. without the user’s knowledge or consent. Although the damage caused by Kavo Virus is claimed to be low by Symantec but very irritating to me to my opinion.

These are some signs that your computer is infected by Kavo:

• Notice – kavo.exe application error (appears during entering Windows).
• “The instruction at “0x10013e2d” referenced memory at “0x00ff873a”. The memory could not be “read”. (Note: the referenced memory number might vary)
• Your Folder Options and/or Search Option may be disappeared.
• If your Folder Options did not disappear, you may not be able to show hidden files and folders.
• For Symantec Antivirus users, if you run the Virus Scan, such movement of cursor on the scan box during scanning will cause sudden stop and end up with “Program (Not Responding)” upon closing.
• In some cases you are not be able to update virus definition.
  

How your computer could possibly get infected?

Based on my homework, the infection mainly came from email attachment from unknown senders. It can also be delivered through Messenger’s Instant Message. Some Trojans came from free codec. So be careful of the things to be downloaded. It can infect another computer via portable memory storage devices such as flash drives, diskettes, etc.

For my case my computer is used by many. I allow others to use mine since computers are not many at my office. However not everybody is responsible. So I believe viruses were transferred to my computer via flash drives.

How to get rid of Kavo Virus?

At my work place, we use Symantec. I discovered that Symantec does not kill Kavo, or even traced it (unable to trace even using 31 December 2007 virus definition). Note: I’m not saying Symantec is not good. It is still better compared to AVG Free. Many antivirus software cannot detect Kavo & some other trojan drops because they use compression and encryption of its files. Whether we like or not, a search of a software that specializing in malware removal is definitely a must. There are many software available such as AGV, Norton and Microsoft Anti-Spyware, however they are not free. So I suggest you to search for any trial version anti-spyware (a trusted one please). In my case, I used UnHackMe (Trial Version) – suitable to team up with Symantec Antivirus without conflicts. Now follow these steps:

• First of all of course you need to update your virus definition.
• Disable your system restore.
• Install and run anti-spyware.
• Delete all malicious files/applications recommended by your anti-spyware.
• Reboot system.
• Run a full system virus scan.
• You have the option whether to enable your system restore or keep it disable (I do recommend you to enable it and make a restore point)
  

No need to go to regedit to edit your registry because you will find that your registry is already repaired by this anti-spyware (you can double check if you want). To me this is easier. If your folder option and/or search option are still missing, then go to these websites for solution:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_get_back_the_Folder_Options_in_Windows_XP

http://help.lockergnome.com/windows/Search-option-missing-Start-Menu-ftopict516539.html

Kavo Virus will evolve! Trust me

As we learn to solve computer virus problems, virus creators will always find ways to enhance the capability of their 'creations' (viruses) until they become more and more difficult to be neutralized. I may be able to solve this problem, perhaps just for now. Things will be more sophisticated next month, or maybe next week. Today Kavo might effect your folder/search option & hidden files, in the future they might be designed to effect your Excel, Words, Messengers, etc. I'm worry that new viruses might be the financial interest of some commercial antivirus vendors. The question is DO YOU TRUST YOUR ANTIVIRUS vendors?

~Izat

First Malaysian in Space...

Sheikh

From the BBC News
Wednesday, 10 October 2007, 14:13 GMT 15:13 UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7037901.stm

Landmark lift-off for space crew

A Russian spacecraft heading to the International Space Station (ISS) has blasted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz rocket propelled Malaysia's first astronaut into space alongside the first female astronaut to become commander of the space station.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and American Peggy Whitson were accompanied by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.

Ms Whitson and Mr Malenchenko will remain on the ISS for six months, replacing two other astronauts. Mr Shukor will spend nine days on the space station before returning to Earth with the outgoing crew.

Malaysians proud

The Soyuz-FG rocket was launched on schedule at 1752 Moscow time (1322 GMT), topped with a spacecraft containing the three crew members. Reports said the rocket was adorned with a Malaysian flag as it lifted off.

The launch has been eagerly anticipated in Malaysia, where it has been hailed as a landmark for the Asian nation. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi joined 1,000 schoolchildren at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur to mark Malaysia's entry into space. They clapped and cheered as a giant TV screen showed scenes of Sheikh Muszaphar smiling inside the spacecraft minutes after the lift-off, the Associated Press reported.

Ramadan rules

Mr Shukor will be the first Muslim to fly in space during the holy month of Ramadan and will be there for the Eid festival, when he will treat his crewmates to a celebratory meal. For the rest of the time he will try and observe the dawn-to-dusk fasting rules of Ramadan.

Muslim clerics in Malaysia have prepared special guidelines for him on observing religious rules while on the ISS. He will use a wet towel rather than water to clean himself before praying, and is not obliged to kneel in zero gravity or face Mecca while praying. To avoid confusion about when to pray, Mr Shukor will follow the time at the launch site in Kazakhstan. The crew are expected to dock at the space station on Friday.


My comment:
Can you imagine, at the speed the space station travels, the ISS will orbit the Earth 16 times every 24 hours, that means Sheikh Muszaphar would have been obliged to pray more than 80 times a day? Also there is another issue, i.e. the direction for prayers, which must usually face the direction of Mecca – a difficult position to maintain in zero gravity.

Alhamdulellah, Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development has drafted a set of guidelines on how to perform religious rites in space. The guidelines allow the astronaut to only pray five times a day and that the times should follow the location of the spacecraft's launch. Also it is not obliged to kneel in zero gravity or face Mecca while praying.

The guidelines can be obtained from this link:
http://www.islam.gov.my/portal/pdf/ibadahIss.pdf

Wallahu a'lam

My convocation day...

USM 36th Convocation

15 August 2007 was my convocation day. I was awarded Master Degree in Chemistry. So much to say about this day. The feeling of joy - it was so so overwhelming. Let the pictures tell the story.

Streamyx downgrade - I learned my lesson..

New
RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! - My Internet Bill for June is RM232.11

Two months ago I applied for downgrading my streamyx package from RM77@unlimited to RM49@60 hours. The reason I downgrade my streamyx is because I already moved to Kulim. And will only be in Taiping in the weekend – Saturday and Sunday. So I believe 60 hours internet usage a month is enough for me. Last week I received my internet bill. It should be a combination of a two months bill, so I thought the amount should be around RM98 or a bit more but will not exceed RM120. What I got was really surprising. 232.11 Ringgit. My bill is RM232.11 for last month. Is this my other event of Ripley's Believe It or Not? I think so. Regarding the bill, what had been printed is true but I'm hoping the amount is false.

Since the bill did not mention any detail about the package and internet usage, so I checked through the internet. There it is... - Streamyx Home Basic 384 Kb - RM20@10 hours. This is clearly a WRONG package. No wonder my bill shoots up so drastically. Well TMnet, thank you very much. Now I really feel like maglooba (up side down). Although frustrating, I didn't go hysteria. Because I know this is a test from Allah. Alhamdulellah.

Sudden Motivation
Besides I got a new motivation from Tariq Sabah, my Palestinian brother. He told me that he already subscribed to a home wireless internet (1.0 Mb – RM88@unlimited) for his rental house in KL. Contrast with me that I went downgrading. Should I go back to the streamyx unlimited? Yes, I think I should. The difference between the two plans is only RM28. When I was a student I used the RM77 ~unlimited streamyx plan. Now as a working guy I downgraded my streamyx plan to RM49 ~60 hours. My allocation for internet is RM100 a month. So what the hell am I doing? Besides there is no guarantee my internet usage will not exceed 60 hours.

Back to Streamyx Unlimited
So this week I changed my off day from Sunday to Friday because I need to be in Taiping on Friday (Telekom Malaysia will close on Saturday and Sunday in all states except Kedah and Kelantan). Today (Friday) I went to the customer service at TM Taiping (the place where I registered my streamyx). TM admitted their mistake and apologized to me for the miscalculated bill. They will soon issue a new bill. Then I told them I want to upgrade my streamyx plan back to the 512 Kb - RM77 ~unlimited. They said "with pleasure". DONE! Everything went so smoothly. Alhamdulellah.

I learned my lesson
I think I learned my lesson well this week. If we are not sure with our decision, don't rush into it. Discuss with sombody we trust, seek advise from him. Two heads are always better than one.

Am I the most royal DiGi customer?

Ripley's Believe It or Not! - Izat is the most loyal DiGi Customer

Am I the most loyal DiGi customer?

I think so.... I'll let you know why.
-- Change mobile service provider, from Celcom to Maxis or vise versa, is something common.
-- Change handphone to a new one, is something common also.
-- Change sim card, today this number, tomorrow another number, is very common too.

I did change my handphone a few times. The last was in November 2004. I'm still using Nokia 1100 until now (perhaps you guys can label me 'mobile conservative'... hehehe). But I never change my service provider, DiGi which I subscribed since 1999. I chose DiGi prepaid. In addition to that I never changed my number since the first day of my subscription. Almost eight years now. Ripley might not believe this. But it's true.

----0 1 6 - 4 5 6 $ $ $ $
-----I -l o v e -m y- n u m b e r

I think DiGi you should consider giving me an award, i.e. The most loyal DiGi customer of the planet.
The award must include RM50 monthly free airtime for three years.... hehehe.

I don't have any statistics or breakdown of mobile service subscribers in this country. As far as my friends are concern, three out of 20 are using DiGi. Not so many eh? Well my DiGi friends, I think we are unique. Yes we are. I know my DiGi friends, most of us are fantastic, romantic, bombastic, mr lova lova... hahaha just kidding. What is so special about DiGi? I'm not so sure but I like DiGi Birthday Bonus the most (because they offer 50% of the top up value). Also Family & Friends.

When I was a student I spent around RM30-40 a month for calls and sms. Now, I spend around RM60-80, perhaps more. But I'll try not to spend more than RM100 a month.

Question - Will I change my mobile number in the future?

Yes... Petra is a New World Wonder

P E T R A
THE NEW WORLD WONDER

The result has been announced last night. These are the new SEVEN Wonders of the World:

Chichén Itzá, Mexico*
Christ Redeemer, Brazil
The Great Wall, China*
Machu Picchu, Peru
Petra, Jordan*
The Roman Colloseum, Italy
The Taj Mahal, India*

*Monuments which I voted

To all my Malaysian friends who voted for Petra, thank you very much. I have no more words to say. I'm just too happy.

To the people of Jordan... C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! !

Arabic for beginner - My funny experience

Kol Hawa

It happened in middle of 2004 when an Arab friend taught me an interesting phrase, ‘kol hawa’ (كل هواء), in which the direct English translation means ‘eat air’. If I translate it to Malay it will become ‘makan angin’, which means ‘sight seeing’. Nice meaning. He told me if I see any Arab friends (most of my Arab friends are Jordanian/Palestinian), just say ‘kol hawa’. He said it has a good meaning. Well that’s good. I got something new today. I believed the meaning was something like "Have a good air for breathing".

One day I went to the USM mosque for Maghrib prayer and it so happened that I met a group of Yemeni friends. As usual I have a chat with them. And before I left I said, "I got to go back to the hostel. See you guys. Ellaleqaa’. Kol hawaaaaa… Assalam ‘alaikum. ".

They looked shock like they just saw a ghost. They said, "Izat! Come back!"

"Did you say ‘kol hawa’ just now?"

"Yes, is there anything wrong?"

"Who taught you this word?" I started to smell something was not right about the phrase. So I decided not to tell them who because I don’t know what impact is going to be. I just told them I got it from a friend. Then they told me the actual meaning and advised me not to use the word again.

I never thought that the meaning of kol hawa is shut up (in a polite way). Oh my God! Which means I had told them this - "See you guys. Shut up! Salam to you".

Hahaha… funny, isn’t it? I think it's a good lesson for a beginner like me. Kol hawa... not bad at all... (Thanks to my teacher & you're probably wondering who he is.. hehehe)