The .exe file Jab got is completely unopenable on a Mac. The reason why you don't need to fear viruses on the Mac - if you're a careful person like Jan - s not that there are fewer around (although that's true too) but rather that they can't work without your intervention. On Windows, certain types of filed - .exe and a few others - can be programmed to open (launch - since these are actually application) spontaneously as soon as you click on the MESSAGE. On the Mac, there are no such files - you have to double-click the attachment for any file, including application files, to open or launch. So if you don't double-click unknown attachments, you won't get the virus aimed at you. Mac viruses require that sort of collaboration from the victim.
The other way viruses could be transmitted is via JavaScript links in HTML messages. But we've been told over and over again that Entourage won't allow this - won't execute such code. So you are safe if you remain suspicious of attachments. However, even attachments from people you know and trust may contain viruses that they don't know about. THAT's why you need virus software - to protect yourself against viruses coming from attachments that you do double-click. they can also arrive on software CDs you install. Things really are much better on the Mac - but you can still catch viruses. -- Paul Berkowitz > From: Beth Rosengard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: "Entourage:mac Talk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 18:37:11 -0800 > To: "Entourage:mac Talk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: SPAM/Virus worry > > Hi Jan, > > To assume that you don't have to worry about viruses because you're on a Mac > is asking for trouble. Just because most viruses are written for Windows > doesn't mean that some enterprising virus writer isn't targeting Macs at > this very minute, and the likelihood of this happening increases with the > growing popularity of the platform. Get yourself a good virus protection > program and set up a schedule to update the latest virus definitions > regularly. > > The message you received sounds like a typical virus message (I get them all > the time although this particular wording is new to me). I searched the > Symantec site (they make Norton AntiVirus) under "a new game" and the > closest match was at this URL: > <http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.dexter.html> > It doesn't sound the same as what you received, however. Chances are this > is a Windows virus that won't hurt you (or others). I'm sure someone else > out there will know more about it than I do. > > Good luck, > > Beth > > > On 3/31/02 5:26 PM, "Jan Martel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I'd always taken the position that the easiest thing to do about SPAM is to >> delete it and that email virurses (virii?) needn't concern me because I have >> a Mac. Recently, I've tried to be a little more pro-active about Spam and >> have taken to writing to abuse@ the sender's ISP to ask them to stop it. But >> today something happened that has me worried and I just thought I'd ask if >> anyone else has seen anything like it. I received what looked to me like >> Spam this morning - it purportedly came from a really weird email address >> [EMAIL PROTECTED], the subject was A new Game and the body of the email >> was: >> Hi,This is a very new game >> This game is my first work. >> You're the first player. >> I expect you would like it. >> >> There were two attachments, one called Snoopy.exe and one called >> TN_3430(1).jpeg. Following my new procedure, I checked the internet headers >> and discovered that the sender was supposedly at AOL. So I copied the >> message and headers and sent it to abuse@AOL with a nice note asking them to >> do something about it. I haven't yet heard back from them. >> >> But, what has me worried, a few minutes ago I received a standard-looking >> "Returned mail; User Unknown" message from AOL. The message it was returning >> was one I had not sent, and was addressed to an address I'd never heard of. >> Entourage doesn't think I've sent any messages with the subject shown or the >> addressee. The message's subject was "Arial, Helvetica" and it also had a >> couple of attachments although neither was an exe. When I looked at the full >> internet headers on the message I had supposedly sent, one of them was >> exactly the same as one on the message I received earlier >> (rly-ip01.mx.aol.com). Should I be worrying about this? Has my email account >> been taken over by aliens? I've already sent copies of the messages to AOL >> and to Earthlink (my ISP). Should I do anything else? > > > -- > To unsubscribe: > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > archives: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> > old-archive: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/> > -- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> old-archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/>
