On Tue, 10 Jul 2001 11:24:02 -0400 (EDT), Steve <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2001, Samuel W. Heywood wrote:
<snip>
>> According to my understanding,
>> you cannot run a virus simply by reading an ascii text file, but
>> there are those who will say that my understanding is wrong.
> A text file, no... but most Windows users automatically
> read their e-mail in Outlook, so don't even know if a
> message is text, html, or both.
Shame on them! If Outlook can run a virus simply by opening an
email message, then they should not use Outlook to read the
message. Alternatively they could use a file viewer to examine
the message first to determine whether it would be safe to open
the message with Outlook.
>> I would like to be referred to a URL written by a highly respected
>> and credible authority where information is presented to clear up
>> such misunderstandings as may exist regarding this matter. Most
>> people who claim to be expert authorities on viruses aren't.
> How about the oldest virus site on the net?
> Here's a worm that doesn't even need to be read in OE.
> Simply previewing it is enough to infect the machine.
You said that the worm doesn't even need to be read in OE.
You mean to say that the worm may be activated simply by examining
the message with an ascii file viewer? The web site says that the
worm will be activated only if the message is read by OE when
JavaScript is enabled.
> http://www.europe.f-secure.com/v-descs/kak.shtml
> This worm is not in an attachment that needs to be
> opened. It is within the body of the message, so if
> you're using OE5, and have JS enabled, it's activated
> simply by reading the e-mail.
Thanks for the URL. Very interesting!
Question: Why do so many people use OE? I have OE on my Windows
machine but I never use it. I would like to uninstall it but I
don't know how. A problem with uninstalling bad Windows programs
is that doing so will often screw up vital and necessary programs
that are somehow integrated into the bad stuff. It's like trying
to remove a troublesome brain tumor without disturbing some
necessary brain functions by removing along with the tumor some good
and useful brain tissue as well.
Sam Heywood
-- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser - http://arachne.cz/
