Re: [Epic] [Fwd: E-Mail Virus Warning]

From: lojeck <lojeck_at_...>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 10:03:01 -0800 (PST)

> Not so. First, you don't need a virus that can run on multiple operating
> systems since the great majority of the receiving ends are PC's and PC
> networks.

ok, I'll give you that...

> Secondly, you *can* activate a virus by reading your mail. The simplest
> case would be to include an exe file in the attachment.

my friend, if you've got your mail reader set to automatically run any
.exe file someone sends you as an attachment, you're a dipshit of the
worst kind... of all the things virus's can do, they cannot activate
themselves from a cold start... no software can do that, and virus's are
nothing but software...

> Further, the
> message body itself *can* carry an executable set of instructions or a
> trigger to them as well.

again, you would have to configure your browser to run any code sent like
that... most browsers (every one that I know of) will attempt to display
any binary sent in the body as text (and as a Net Admin, I've seen more
then a few ways to read email)

some unix versions might have a bug like that (it's reminiscent of the
Internet Worm) but again, were talking about pc's here, right?

and lastly, ever hear of Good Times? sounds kinda the same, right? has
anyone ever actually seen a real occurance of good times? nobody I've ever
known or talked to...


Brian Lojeck
lojeck_at_...

"This is the .sig that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends.
Some people started reading it, not knowing what it was; but now that they've
been reading it, they notice it because... This is the .sig that never ends..."
Received on Thu Feb 13 1997 - 18:03:01 UTC