Thanks Artur. I thought it might be possible, like for firewalls, for the
software to scan the messages for viruses, but I guess you're right, since it
would probably have to open every message to do that. I do not think the list
should be moderated.
Cheers
Winston
----- Original Message -----
From: Artur F. Silva
To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 5:30 AM
Subject: Re: Viruses
At 20:15 06-12-2001, Winston Kinch wrote:
Is there no way for the listserv manager/software to automatically check
messages for viruses and filter out buggy ones?
I am no longer a specialist, but once I was (as an IBM SE...) and one gets a
feeling for these things...
I think it is not easy for the listserve software to do that; what can be
done at the
listserv SW level is to supress the sending of ALL attachments. On the other
level the list can change to being moderated, and someone would have
to check every message - but that has other problems.
Internet service providers, on the other level, can do that ckeck if they are
forced
to - but that has also other problems as it slows the response time.
So the best solution is: everyone must have an anti-virus an keep it updated.
"Whatever happens is the only thing that could have" shall NOT be applied
here ;-)
At 20:20 06-12-2001, Esther . wrote:
I have noticed that the current virus seems to come from a legitimate email
address with a _ at the beginning (an underscore) so that if you were to try to
reply to it, you can't without removing the underscore from the beginning of
the email.
Perhaps the moderator or the listserv could look for those and eliminate
them automatically?
Maybe I'm asking too much but it's worth noting for all of us who look at
our email - delete without opening ANY of it when the "from" address has the
underscore at the beginning.
I don't think there is a clear relation between the initial underscore and
the fact of
having the computer infected and hence sending (unwillingly) messages with
virus.
I think that people that use the underscore (or some blank caracters in
the beginning) are only trying to protect themselves from spam and other
automatic replies.
Regards
Artur
