GMail Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter toshradio
  • Start date Start date
T

toshradio

Hi,

Simple question - does one really need their anti-virus software to
scan e-mail if using GMail exclusively?

Thanks

Dave
 
Hi,

Simple question - does one really need their anti-virus software to
scan e-mail if using GMail exclusively?
Click to expand...

X-Files background:

Trust no one.

More than one layer of protection does not hurt
1) Google
2) local machine
 
Why You Don't Need Your Anti-Virus Program to Scan Your E-Mail
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm
Viral Irony: The Most Common Cause of Corruption.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx
Click to expand...

The case against scanning emails sounds reasonable where the malware is
carried as an attachment, assuming the email client does indeed handle the
attachment as a separate file, as one would expect. But the body of the
email isn't always handled as a separate file - e.g. both Outlook and
Outlook Express store message bodies in pseudo-database files. Doesn't that
mean that malware coding in an HTML-formatted email body would still be a
risk?
 
From: "Gotde T Shirt" <[email protected]>

< snip >

| Outlook Express store message bodies in pseudo-database files. Doesn't that
| mean that malware coding in an HTML-formatted email body would still be a
| risk?

Yes.
Click to expand...

Conversely:
You don't need to have your AV software scan emails, provided you set your
email client to display emails as plain text only.
 
Hi,

Simple question - does one really need their anti-virus software to
scan e-mail if using GMail exclusively?

Thanks

Dave
Click to expand...

I've never used anything extra for scanning email for 4 years and have
never had any problems. I think a lot of it is knowing what and what
not to open if you're not sure about the sender.
 
It may be beneficial to amend http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html#4
advising/considering to set-up e-mail program(s) for 'Plain Text' only.
Click to expand...

....especially if the user has the preview pane operational, so the email
client downloads, 'reads' and renders the first email in your Inbox as you
start it up, so you don't get chance to decide it was a risky one that
shouldn't have been opened.
 
It may be beneficial to amend http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html#4
advising/considering to set-up e-mail program(s) for 'Plain Text' only.
Click to expand...

Ok, seems like a good idea.

How about something like this (below) as the last paragraph in that
section:

Additionally, it is wise to consider configuring your email program to
display messages as "text only" and not "HTML". HTML can easily
include malicious scripting (which may "do something" unwanted
automatically), malicious links (usually obfuscated and too easy to
click) and other unwanted junk. Keep in mind that if you send HTML
email, many anti-spam solutions may agressively target HTML formatted
email as SPAM.
 
Ok, seems like a good idea.

How about something like this (below) as the last paragraph in that
section:

Additionally, it is wise to consider configuring your email program to
display messages as "text only" and not "HTML". HTML can easily
include malicious scripting (which may "do something" unwanted
automatically), malicious links (usually obfuscated and too easy to
click) and other unwanted junk. Keep in mind that if you send HTML
email, many anti-spam solutions may agressively target HTML formatted
email as SPAM.
Click to expand...

This is great! This addition to #4 makes this cautionary article more
complete. Good move, thanks!
 
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