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Archiver > TMG > 2002-05 > 1020522974


From: "Theresa Greene Reed" <>
Subject: Re: OT [TMG] Virus or what?? HTML
Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 10:36:14 -0400
References: <LOBBKOOEANNIIOJMJAELAEJKEAAA.earbar@netway.com> <5.1.0.14.0.20020504063811.009f9aa0@pop.sprynet.com>


Darrell,

NO ! NO ! It is not safe in my copy of Outlook Express to click on the
message line (line with the icon, name of sender, subject, and date ant time
received) for an infected message without actually receiving the virus or
worm when the Preview pane is open. It has happened to me many times. I
never open unexpected attachments. This happens by simply clicking on the
line on the list.

When I click on the line, two things happen at once. My McAfee VirusScan
gives me a big red Virus Warning window. Behind this is another window
which shows the download IN PROGRESS. The downloading envelope is moving
from one side to another in a download window, meaning (in my view) that the
virus or worm is being downloaded as I look at it. I have learned to act
QUICKLY to cancel everything before it progresses too far. I do this as
fast as possible. Then I close Outlook Express, and run a virus scan on all
drives.

As I said before, I have been fortunate to cancel everything fast enough so
that I wasn't infected, and my VirusScan report showed that there were no
infected files. I've never known how to avoid this.

I don't want this to happen again, so I'm taking every precaution. Now,
since I received Kirk Ransom's e-mail telling me how to turn off the Preview
pane, and since I received Caroline Gurney's e-mail message telling me how I
can read the message without the Preview pane open, I do it differently.
Before I receive e-mail messages, now, I turn off the Preview Pane, then
look at the list of messages (sender and subject, etc) first. If I don't
recognize the sender and subject as those that are familiar to me, I view
the suspicious message by right-clicking on it, then selecting
Properties>Details> Message Source to read it safely. Then, and only then
do I go back to turn on the Preview pane and read the ones that are familiar
to me (like TMG messages).

In other words, I don't click on an unfamiliar message anymore. If I should
miss one, and happen to click on an infected message, my antivirus is
up-to-date, and will catch it as before. But that is much less likely. I
don't mind doing all of this, because I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Theresa
(Not a computer guru)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Darrell A. Martin" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: OT [TMG] Virus or what?? HTML


> 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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