🚀 go-pugleaf

I.J Jordan wrote:

> I cannot accidentally
> open an attachment without getting a warning panel pop up asking "open or
> save to disc", and as that seems to be the main way of virus,worms and
> trojans etc entering the system; I have until reading this thread for a few
> days felt reasonably safe but it would seem that this may not be the case.

Maybe YOU are secure from direct attack; but the average person who 
must use a computer as part of their job is absolutely NOT safe. This 
from experience. 

> > Even if  apparently clean, don't run unless there's a good reason to..DOC,
> XLS (and other Excel extensions), .PPT:
> > when these come as email,
> 
> but I do tend to exchange a lot of "something.doc" files. and until now did
> not realise that they could have evil things lurking in them.

There you are! This is exactly as dangerous as "opening" an unknown 
file, and is how many of the, fortunately fairly harmless, macro 
viruses such as Concept propagated so widely. This weak point is in 
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), not in Outlook: people 
who use other mailers, but use MS Word, are just as vulnerable. Some 
mailers allow you to use different programs when opeining files from 
email than when clicking from Windows (as I said in a previous 
message).

A VERY COMMON scenario: someone sends a Word document with a macro 
virus (perhaps Concept) to John, chief assistant to the assistant 
chief at the fictitious company Acme Industries. John opens it on his 
workstation (connected to the company network). This infects the copy 
of Word on his workstation (or the shared network copy, if 
applicable). EVERY document he saves from then on carries the 
infection. Other people on the network need to open documents he has 
saved. In no time, all copies of Word, and a lot of floppy discs, and 
people's home machines (where they take work) are infected. When John 
sends you a perfectly innocent document, you (knowing where it comes 
from) open it without a thought.

Actually harmless viruses like this are far more contagious than 
LoveLetter, as LL is so noticeable (same as biological viruses: 
damage your host too much, and he's less able to spread copies of you
around).

I would like to see much more cautious email programs. In particular, 
there need to be precautions about sneding email to entries in your 
address book.

HTH,
-- 
Michael Salem