Subj : Re: Pre-filtering Mail (WAS: Re: Do M$ usually spam people? ^_~)
To   : comp.os.linux
From : Baruch
Date : Tue Aug 24 2004 02:05 am

Paul Nolan wrote:

> Baruch wrote:
>> Paul Nolan wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>>Hmm... just recieved quite a suspicious email (apparently from
>>>Microsoft, even though I have never owned a copy of Windows or DOS in my
>>>life), concerning an upgrade (attached) to IE, OE & Outlook (again,
>>>don't use any of this software, even in WINE)
>>>I'm assuming this is a virus - the question is, do I mention anything to
>>>M$ ^_^
>>>
>> 
>> Microsoft uses the "Critical Update" feature in Windows, to apply its
>> patches.  They never send out mass e-mails like that.
>> 
>> This worm is probably doing a fair job of recruiting new Linux users, if
>> they get burned by activating it.  Once they find out how vulnerable they
>> are, they might consider other options...
> Even though it is totally harmless to me (and probably most of the rest
> of this ng), it's still quite annoying - the email takes quite a while
> to download (currently I've got 5 copies under various names and
> addresses) Is it possible to put a pre-fetch filter so they don't even get
> downloaded? (I'm using Thunderbird, but I would switch to Evolution -
> I'm heading that way anyway as something is wrong with Debian's Enigmail)
> 
If you're asking me, I have to tell you I'm really new at Linux - at least,
with the network and Internet portions of it (I had Linux on a box years
ago, but couldn't get it online because of a winmodem).

I have heard of a product called spamassassin, which has some fairly
sophisticated filtering; but I believe it is server-based.  I don't know
this for certain.  It would be nice to be able to use something to just
nuke all the garbage being sent these days.

I would certainly love to know of a pre-fetch product; or to be able to
write my own.  I'm working on that, among a gazillion other things...

.