Re: VIRUS ALERT!

[thomas@xxxxxxxxxxx]

On Tue, 05 June 2001, "Steve Richter" wrote:
> 
> Are you exposed to a virus just by opening an email msg or do you have to
> open the attachment for the virus to be able to execute?
> 

It depends... Start with a basic configuration of Outlook Express with the 
Preview pane enabled. Simply by running down the e-mail log, selecting 
different messages, you've effectively "opened" the message without ever 
selecting the "Open" option. By causing it to be processed by the Preview pane, 
you've done it whether you thought you were opening or not. And this certainly 
is a step away from "opening" any attachment. I have an example that I've been 
looking at on and off for a couple months that I still cannot control -- I 
click on it and it comes alive. So far, none of the various security settings 
seem to have any effect. Almost makes me want to switch to that market area 
just to really learn more about what's going on.

And obviously it also depends on how precise you want to be about the term 
"virus", but I figure you already know that.

Tom Liotta

-- 

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