Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 10:27:01 +0200 From: wOb <cyril.fournillon@inforoute.cgs.fr> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3539$foo@default> Subject: RE: !!!COMPUTER VIRUS WARNING MESSAGE!!!
Andrew Marshall[SMTP:andrewm@eskimo.com] wrote:
> I recieved this message as many of you already have. Thought I
>
> >> Warning!!!!!!!! If you receive an e-mail titled "JOIN THE CREW" DO NOT
Dear all
When you read the SMTP specifications (SMTP=simple mail transfer protocol,
the protocol used on the Internet to transfer mail messages), you can see that
opening any incoming message is safe as you can't have any self executing code
in the message. What is a potentially security hole is to execute attached files.
For example I could have attached to this message an executable DOS file
containing a virus. Opening this message is completely safe. The virus would
install only if you execute the attached file (e.g. you dbl-click it). Also, in this case,
MAC, Unix and other OSes users are safe.
The best thing to do when receiving attached parts is to save them to disk, then
inspect them with much attention (scan for virus, dump it.....).
NEVER open Word documents directly, and when you think a .DOC file is safe,
open it in Word HOLDING THE SHIFT KEY DURING the whole opening process
to prevent self-execute macros from running. Then check the document for macros
(tools/macros menus I think, for french users it is outils/macros).
Hold the shift key down also when closing the document as some Macro viruses
use autoclose macro.
Sorry for this long off topic note. I hope this will prevent people from getting
paranoiac (dunno the exact word in english, sorry).
Best regards to all and happy (safe) CP growing.
-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyril Fournillon Drop me a message: cyril.fournillon@inforoute.cgs.fr Visit my HomePage: http://www.inforoute.cgs.fr/fournill Voice: +33 1 42 21 78 03 ICQ: 1397712 Fax: +33 1 42 21 76 88 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi! I'm a .signature virus (mutant version), copy me to your .signature file to join in.
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