With the proliferation of Outlook and Outlook Express and the capabilities
of Java and other HTML associated languages, it is possible to catch viruses
simply by allowing the message to appear in the preview pane of these
programs.  The only way I've found to approach safety in terms of opening
unsolicited e-mails is to use a text based system such as Linux Mail or
Pine.  This literally opens only the text of the message and does not
execute any scripting that may be including in the e-mails.  Unfortunately
it also requires access to a Linux or Unix system to read your mail.

	Scott Sumner
	[log in to unmask]


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Indigo Nights
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 4:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Important info on Viruses for all to heed!!!!


Chris, can you resolve this issue for me and my boss
and I had different answers to this dilemma.

We all know not to click on (unsolicited) attachments
because they can contain the virus.

However, can you sometimes catch the virus by simply
opening the email (not necessarily showing the virus
icon).

My thinking is yes, in some instances you can
depending upon if there is scripting contained in the
email (html type emails) that can wreak havoc with
your registry.  I know that emails opened from various
news sources can impose nasty little cookies that try
to crawl the firewall--the paper from Dallas does this
with its Beloit interactive cookies (of which it
plants three or four at a time so you have to hunt to
pick them all off).

My boss seems to think you can only catch a virus by
clicking on the attachment.

Thoughts?



--- C Reeves <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ladies and Gentlemen:
>
> 	I've listened long enough now to realize there are
> quite a few
> educated misconceptions out there.
>
> 1)  Mac users (all 5 of you)  :)  are not exempt
> from getting viruses.
> Albeit they are few and far between, they have still
> been known to exist.
> See:
> http://antivirus.about.com/od/macintoshresource/
>
> -  Another source of issues for Mac's is their
> ability to use Microsoft
> products which carry their own vulnerabilities
> regardless of operating
> system.
>
> 2)  It is NOT true that information on viruses is
> outdated by the time it
> comes out.  Just because a virus had grown a new
> head doesn't mean you will
> become infected with it the day it comes out.  Many
> of these insipid little
> buggers (apologies to our UK friends) stay active
> for months if not years
> even though new manifestations exist.
>
> 3)  The only sure way to avoid an outside attack is
> to not turn on your
> computer.
> 	I have seen non-internet computers become infected
> by a virus due to
> improper usage.
>
> 4)  To protect yourself as much as possible EVERYONE
> should have installed
> at the minimum a firewall, anti-virus software that
> automatically updates
> itself, and at least two different spy-ware
> removers.  If you're not sure
> you have this, ask your computer guru (or the
> closest thing you have to
> one).
>
> If you have any questions or would like to dispute
> anything I've said,
> please feel free to e-mail me directly.  Any
> questions asked on the
> list-serv shall be responded to in kind.
>
> God Bless, good luck, and safe surfing,
>
> Christopher Reeves


Indigo Nights
[log in to unmask]

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