Subj : inovation
To   : Scott Little
From : Baden Kudrenecky
Date : Fri May 19 2000 05:48 pm

Responding to Scott Little from 1928-05-11 concerning inovation, on Os-Debate  

Hi Scott:

SL>  BK> kiddie VB stuff that allegedly has done G$ damage.
SL> 
SL> your system is subject to rexx and batch files. what's the difference?

   I have yet to hear about any Rexx or batch file sent to
anyone in e-mail that would do any damage automagically.
Actually, I was thinking about sending the following file to all
my address book listings, just to see the actual repercussions:

runme.bat:
FDISK /DELETE:all /DISK:1

   Note that this still will not execute on my system.

SL>  BK> When I get an attachment in any mail program I have, I
SL>  BK> have to bypass several BIG warnings in able to run it.
SL> 
SL> all versions of outlook express i have ever used provide two options for 
SL> attachments: Open or Save As. Never has an attachment been 
SL> executed automagically, if there is a version that does 
SL> that, please tell me which one

   Not that I know, but I read that apparently, as soon as the
mail message is opened, the VBS script executes.
 
SL>  BK> I don't see these things happening on anything but
SL>  BK> Windows.
SL> 
SL> Because windows is the dominant platform, and OLE is the 
SL> dominant mail client - that and ONLY that is the reason 
SL> this trojan was so effective. Other platforms and other 
SL> mail clients are too small a target to be worth attacking, 
SL> however none of them offer any natural protections against 
SL> such a trojan

   I look at it analogously as your house.  Most houses have the
doors locked and are in safe neighborhoods.  BillyG houses are
in crap neighborhoods, and don't even have doors.

   When I got my cable modem the other day, the installer handed
me a BIG warning notice detailing how ActiveX controls on
Explorer are a security breach, and it was recommended to use
Netscape instead.


hasta luego, baden
baden@unixg.ubc.ca
http://baden.nu/



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