You are absolutely right. I received what they call a Trojan horse this very way using free agent. I actually double clicked unintentionally and thought "what are the chances?". I let it go instead of stopping and it turned out to be a bat file and it promptly launched and hosed my .dll files and some other vital windows stuff. From what I've read though, it is unlikely you can get a serious virus with a text message other than a word document.
-----Original Message----- From: M. G. Devour <mdev...@mail.id.net> To: silver-list@eskimo.com <silver-list@eskimo.com> Date: Saturday, March 14, 1998 8:56 PM Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Fw: New Virus] I've found at least one way in which the unwary user could trick themselves into infection with such a virus. The program Free Agent from Forte, a popular newsreader, has a checkbox in General Preferences that is labeled "double-clicking a message launches its binary attachment." When you set up the software this wonderful "feature" is enabled by default! So, click on an innocent looking message in your favorite newsgroup, to which someone has attached a program that launches a virus, and voilia! Infection. I use Free Agent, and it's a well designed and easy to use program. But this one snare is waiting for anybody not compulsive about checking out all of a program's configurations before using it! I hope I'm wrong, but that's what it means to me. If you know otherwise, Bruce, or anyone else, please point me to the information. Mike PS: And yes, this has nothing to do with Colloidal Silver. Sorry about that. I'll shut up now... On 14 Mar 98 at 19:16, silver-list@eskimo.com wrote: > I DON't Think so... this is one of the virus hoaxes that's been > circulating around the net for quite a while now. > > Do a web search for Virus Hoax and check out the info; then, if you > had already perpetuated this hoax by passing it on , let your > friends know "IT AIN"T SO. > > Bruce K. Stenulson > Applied Technology > http://web.idirect.com/~showcase/althealth > > angelina lee wrote: > > > > Important virus message ,Bob Lee > > -- [Mike Devour, Citizen, Patriot, Libertarian] [mdev...@mail.id.net ] [Speaking only for myself... ] -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: silver-list-requ...@eskimo.com -or- silver-digest-requ...@eskimo.com with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the subject: line. To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@id.net> -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: silver-list-requ...@eskimo.com -or- silver-digest-requ...@eskimo.com with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the subject: line. To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@id.net>
