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Re: [ATM] virus from list
On Friday 20 August 2004 03:34 am, Vladimir Galogaza wrote:
> I took it for granted that e-mail even if opened can not
> take a virus along.
Let's kill this once and for all. To get a virus, someone has to get your
machine to run the virus program. Any content that your browser/email
client/etc. interprets to take some action is subject to abuse. Plain old
text is not "interpreted" by your machine in any way. Thus, a plain text
message cannot carry a virus. That's the major reason this list is plain text
only. An HTML email message, or an email message with attachments can carry a
virus.
Jerry, you may only subscribe to email from this list, but anyone can send you
email (just as I'm doing now). In addition, email isn't the only way to
spread a virus. You can get one from browsing a web site, or there are ones
that spread themselves through a direct connection.
List members, for the record, here's what to do if you are on this list and
get a virus. Tell the admins at atm-owner@atmlist.net and if you think you
know who it came from, copy them and them ONLY - that's it. Don't post to the
list. Why?
1. It is HIGHLY unlikely it came from the list (not a single case has yet
turned out to be list related in over 5 years). You probably are mistaken
about where you got it, in which case you are wasting people's time who want
to talk about building telescopes.
2. If you do have a virus, it is probably trying to spread itself in every
message you post. You are therefore risking spreading it to everyone in the
list.
3. The list membership is not a reservoir of virus killing information (with
few exceptions, even though they are very smart and kindly folks in general),
nor do the members have access to the list server's logs to try to track down
a problem if there were one. The list admins do.
4. If everyone on the list got the virus, and everyone posted to the list,
imagine the chaos. If there is a virus announcement that needs to be made,
the admins can make it.
BTW, this is covered in the FAQ, which I highly recommend everyone read once
in a while.
Now, if you got TDE from the list, that's a different story... ;-)
Clear skies.
--
Michael Lindner
http://www.starastronomy.org *** http://home.att.net/~mikel
http://www.atmsite.org *** http://www.atmlist.net
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