NIR-DOWN-L Archives

Archiver > NIR-DOWN > 2001-05 > 0989393914


From: Brian <>
Subject: Re: [NIR-DOWN] virus
Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 03:38:34 -0400


It has to be recognised that some e-mail programmes are designed to deliver
the message as an attachment. The recipient only sees an empty "header"
page, while the body of the message is contained in a binary (eg. html)
attachment. This is presumably to allow creative flexibility with fancy
e-mail styling.

I for one will not open such attachments as this is a popular way of
distributing viruses and is just too risky for the recipient. Knowing the
source is of no help because the virus uses an innocent party's address
book to send itself to others. So the virus containing attachment comes to
you from someone you are likely to trust, without them playing any part in
the transmission.

Anyone using such a package would be well advised to reconsider as they
would probably find that many of their despatches are destroyed, unread, by
suspicious recipients. Alternatively, they would be rejected by e-mail
monitoring anti-virus packages.

As others have already stated, I firmly believe that a good e-mail
monitoring anti-virus package, frequently updated, is an excellent
investment.


Brian
Belgium

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