Is antivirus software effective on newsgroup messages?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

Can anyone tell me -- do antivirus programs such as Norton Antivirus provide
protection against malicious code (viruses, worms, trojan horses) found in
newsgroup messages? Does it make any difference which newsreader is used
(Outlook Express, Xnews)? (I use Xnews).

Thanks,
John
 
Can anyone tell me -- do antivirus programs such as Norton
Antivirus provide protection against malicious code (viruses,
worms, trojan horses) found in newsgroup messages? Does it make
any difference which newsreader is used (Outlook Express, Xnews)?
(I use Xnews).

Thanks,
John
Click to expand...

Hello John

Are you confusing the web, e-mail and usenet and how anti-virus
protection work?

What newsgroup do you find "viruses, worms, trojan horses" at?
Where are these messages?
 
Can anyone tell me -- do antivirus programs such as Norton Antivirus provide
protection against malicious code (viruses, worms, trojan horses) found in
newsgroup messages? Does it make any difference which newsreader is used
(Outlook Express, Xnews)? (I use Xnews).
Click to expand...

As long as you have your newsreader configured to not display HTML
posts as HTML, but instead as plain text. You won't get infected by
reading posts.
 
John said:
Can anyone tell me -- do antivirus programs such as Norton Antivirus provide
protection against malicious code (viruses, worms, trojan horses) found in
newsgroup messages? Does it make any difference which newsreader is used
(Outlook Express, Xnews)? (I use Xnews).

Thanks,
John
Click to expand...
I have Norton 2000 and it works in OE, and my guess is it would work with
Xnews, although I'm not familiar with that program.. Under Options; set
the auto-protect to start at boot, then check for files that are read-opened
and created-downloaded, scan all files. It has stopped that script that
opens multiple IE's and thus eventually freezes your system. If you don't
have reasons for not doing so, it is recommended that you put OE in the
Restricted Zone (Tools Options Security) and read messages using plain text
(... .... Read) as this would act as a deterrent for new, previously
unknown code. I don't see this working if you downloaded and executed one
of the first Swen attachments posted to a NG though (i.e., prior to NAVs
definitions being updated).
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave McAuliffe
Central Mass. USA
To Reply -
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With: email.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
ShielaG said:
Hello John

Are you confusing the web, e-mail and usenet and how anti-virus
protection work?

What newsgroup do you find "viruses, worms, trojan horses" at?
Where are these messages?
Click to expand...
No trolling for malware ;).
 
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