Re: [Becoming Off Topic) Re: Run Only
Re: [Becoming Off Topic) Re: Run Only
- Subject: Re: [Becoming Off Topic) Re: Run Only
- From: Philip Stripling <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 16:48:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Rob Jorgensen <email@hidden>
>
SNIP<
In today's connected world, the best defense is common sense when
dealing with unknown applications. Anti-virus programs and script
I might have agreed with that but for the round of Windows viruses. Common
sense says that when your husband, say, sends you an email with the subject
I Love You, you open it. My wife works at a company where _many_ husbands
were frantically calling home to prevent their wives from opening that
email and infecting their computers.
The problem is that there is a file attached called something like
message.txt or picture.jpg; many people using Windows have chosen not to
show the file extension, so they did not know the file was really called
message.txt.vbs or picture.jpg.vbs (or whatever the Visual Basic extension
is). And the problem is that although the email is coming from your
husband's computer, _he_ didn't send it. On the first round of that virus,
common sense gives you the go ahead.
checking utilities (if practical and if they become available) are
just tools to help one make prudent decisions. Being the gadget freak
that I am, I want to have a full toolbox available. <insert "Tim the
Toolman" grunt sequence here>
If it's the first time the virus has been released, tell me your tools will
catch it. Then I'll be impressed.
Your faith in the Mac community makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, but
I liken it to the faith that I had in my (now ex) wife...right up
until the time that I discovered that she was not trustworthy (is
there a program available to check for that?). ;-)
Only after the first discovery.
Happy holidays to everyone who celebrates holidays at this time of the year.
And best wishes for the coming year, for those whose calendar year begins
anew next month.
There are no computer viruses. There are Windows viruses.
Phil