On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 16:19:51 -0500, a computer apparently belonging to Jeremy Litton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, sent the MY PARTY virus to the SURVPC LIST.
Here what the message says: > Hello! > My party... It was absolutely amazing! > I have attached my web page with new photos! > If you can please make color prints of my photos. Thanks! > begin 666 www.myparty.yahoo.com <snipped all the rest of this inserted UUENCODED virus program> Yesterday I posted some comments about the highly suspicicious nature of this message. At that time I did know for certain that it was a virus. I had decoded the attachment and my anti-virus program did not detect it as such. Even so, I remained very suspicious of the program and I did not try to run it. I have since downloaded and installed the most recent update for my virus definition files and now my anti-virus program confirms that it is indeed a virus. This is a brand new virus and we were among the very first to receive a copy. At various URLs belonging to some well known anti-virus authorities I have learned that this virus is designed to fool the virus recipient into thinking that the sender has innocently posted a URL where there are supposed to be some pictures of his party. I fail to see the disguise. It doesn't look like the posting of a URL at all. It is most obviously an inserted UUENCODED program named "www.myparty.yahoo.com" How could any Windows user be so stupid as to decode this program and run it? Windows mailer programs don't decode and run inserted UUENCODED programs automatically, do they? Doesn't a Windows user have to resort to a multi-step process to decode and run an inserted UUENCODED program? I know that some Windows email clients can decode and run MIME attachments automatically, but what about inserted UUENCODED attachments? Furthermore, I cannot understand why any computer user would be so stupid as to use any email client program that is provided with a "feature" to decode and open any executable attachments automatically. Any program designed with such an evil "feature" might have a lot of other diabolical properties as well. In my opinion they ought to outlaw the mere possession of any email client programs that have a "feature" for opening and running an executable attachment automatically. These types of programs are a threat to everyone on the internet because they spread viruses. We are prohibited from possessing any other kind of weapon or destructive device which is deemed to have no legitimate application for personal self-defense. Also there are product safety laws which prohibit manufacturers from marketing unsafe products. It follows therefore that software developers should also be prohibited from distributing unsafe products. Computer users should be prohibited from even possessing such products except for licensed and qualified persons conducting authorized safe testing. Sam Heywood -- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser - http://arachne.cz/ To unsubscribe from SURVPC send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe SURVPC in the body of the message. Also, trim this footer from any quoted replies. More info can be found at; http://www.softcon.com/archives/SURVPC.html
