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Archiver > TMG > 2002-05 > 1020512982


From: "Darrell A. Martin" <>
Subject: Re: OT [TMG] Virus or what?? HTML
Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 06:50:25 -0500
References: <LOBBKOOEANNIIOJMJAELAEJKEAAA.earbar@netway.com>
In-Reply-To: <00b401c1f359$0b4b2ec0$f38df243@reed>


At 05:32 AM 5/4/02 -0400, Theresa Greene Reed wrote:
>To Beth and Kirk,
>
>I am using Outlook Express Version 5, and, like Beth, I do not find a place
>where I can only show text. Perhaps someone can shed more light on this.
>Please.
>
>(However, I'm having a wonderful time turning off preview and examining all
>mail messages carefully under Properties> Details> Message Source before I
>open them to read them. The only inconvenience with this is that I don't
>find a way to print the message. If it's something I want to keep, I have
>to hand-copy the message in its entirety. But that's better than exposure
>to a potential virus when I don't recognize the source.)
>
>Theresa

Hi, Theresa:

I am *not* an Outlook Express guru. However, what you are doing -- although
certainly calculated for safety -- just HAS to be more paranoia than even
the KLEZ epidemic would call for. If you have your AV software up to date,
that is: a current version of a reputable program with virus definitions
no more than a few days old, and if OE is configured reasonably well, you
should be able to open any message that does not have an attachment, print
it, etc., without concern. Even a message *with* an attachment should be
safe, if the attachment is not opened by your specific action.

If preview is turned off and AV is on as described, and if you can see
which messages have attachments, there should be I think only two more
steps to take. You need to find a setting that will stop HTML tags from
auto-running (I don't know the exact OE phrase), and you need to find a
setting that will prevent embedded scripts from running (ditto on the OE
phrase).

Darrell


Darrell A. Martin
a native Vermonter currently in exile in Addison, Illinois



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