What triggers email viruses?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fidcal
  • Start date Start date
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Fidcal

Can anyone tell me or point me to a good website with a tutorial
on preventing email virus propogation?

Specifically, apart from opening and running an attachment, I
want to know how, or indeed if, a virus can begin running merely
by being present in the view pane of Outlook Express.

I'm also considering other email client programs. I'm not that
bothered about html and always send in text format. But it must
be able to handle multiple accounts.
 
Specifically, apart from opening and running an attachment, I
want to know how, or indeed if, a virus can begin running merely
by being present in the view pane of Outlook Express.
Click to expand...

Yes
 
I thought I read something that Outlook Express 7 will have the option of
turning HTML completely off. About time for that feature. HTML is not for
e-mail.

BTJustice
 
Buford T. Justice said:
I thought I read something that Outlook Express 7 will have the option of
turning HTML completely off. About time for that feature. HTML is not for
e-mail.
Click to expand...

Already there in OE 6. Tools/Options /Read / select only read in plain text

Graeme
 
If you use something like mailwasher, you can preview and delete unwanted
mail on the server. In fact, unless you want to keep messages after reading,
you can process most of your mail directly from mailwasher. Mailwasher has
excellent filtering options for marking messages.
Dave Cohen
 
Specifically, apart from opening and running an attachment, I
want to know how, or indeed if, a virus can begin running merely
by being present in the view pane of Outlook Express.
Click to expand...
Code within the HTML of the e-mail such as ActiveX or Javascripts run
the virus.
I'm also considering other email client programs. I'm not that
bothered about html and always send in text format. But it must
be able to handle multiple accounts.
Click to expand...
It's not the sending that's the issue but the receiving/viewing.

For multiuple accounts use Eudora.


--
Conor

"The vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world.
And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice."
- George Bush
 
Fidcal said:
Can anyone tell me or point me to a good website with a tutorial
on preventing email virus propogation?

Specifically, apart from opening and running an attachment, I
want to know how, or indeed if, a virus can begin running merely
by being present in the view pane of Outlook Express.
Click to expand...

the answer is yes, it can...

email viruses need not be attachments, they can be script within the
body of an html email... alternatively, attached viruses can be
launched using exploit code in the body of an email...

how to avoid this? well, OE uses IE to render html email (even in the
preview pane - viewing something in the preview pane is functionally
identical to opening the email), so harden your IE/OE settings... put
mail into the restricted zone, make sure you have all the IE/OE patches
installed, and if you can, try to turn of html rendering in OE...

or, use a client that doesn't use IE to render html (or maybe doesn't
even have the option to render html)... i use mozilla myself, but there
are many other options aswell...
 
GraemeD said:
Already there in OE 6. Tools/Options /Read / select only read in plain text
Click to expand...

6.00.2800, but not 6.00.2600 (the one I am using)

....but I'm not worried ~ .....much :O)
 
Already there in OE 6. Tools/Options /Read / select only read in plain text

Graeme
Click to expand...

Not present in my version but I see from a later poster that it
is in a later one so I'll see if I can upgrade. Thanks.
 
Code within the HTML of the e-mail such as ActiveX or Javascripts run
the virus.

It's not the sending that's the issue but the receiving/viewing.

For multiuple accounts use Eudora.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll take a look at Eudora.
 
Fidcal said:
Not present in my version but I see from a later poster that it
is in a later one so I'll see if I can upgrade. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Thats Ok . Must admit I could not remember when this was added, had in my
mind that it had always been in OE6 , but obviously not so must have come
with SP1.

Graeme
 
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