EWS Frequently asked questions

 

How often is mail sent to the Early Warning System?

The EWS alerts are sent out whenever a member feels it is appropriate. So far, we've had about one per month.

The EWS alerts only go out when warranted, so they are not that frequent.

 

What do the alerts look like?

As many alerts go to pagers, they are very short. They say something like

EWS ALERT - NEW VBS VIRUS

in the subject and have one line in the body with some more info.

The details are then discussed in the discussion list, with everyone who has something to contribute pitching in.

 

Is there a maximum number of contacts a single organization can have subscribed to the list or is it a flat $99 per 2 contacts?

There is no maximum #

 

How "early" is the warning? What is the average time lag between the EWS alert and notification by an AV vendor?

It is as early as someone thinks it is worth issuing the EWS alert. With Anna, it was at least 3 hours.

 

What is the time lag between EWS and mainstream media?

About 6 hours.