SC - Re: [EK] IMPORTANT WARNING

[Robert Davis]

Julien de Montfort wrote:

> On Mon, 16 Feb 1998, Alderton, Philippa wrote:
> 
> > :  Thanks to Nrthnstar for this latest updated list.
> > :
> > :  Received 11/15
> > :  The following people have sent mail bombs and trojan horses to variouas
> > AOL
> > : members. Please pass their names on, and if you receive any mail from the
> > : people on this list PLEASE forward it to TOSemail1. Thank You A TROJAN
> 
> <much stuff snipped>
> 
> While I appreciate the poster's concern to get information out
> about what may be seen as a threat, please, please: before information
> such as this is redistributed, check it out first.  Much of it is
> AOL-specific, and has no need to be sent out to non-AOL maling lists.

Let me register my thanks to milady Philippa for her concern.  This type
of thing has been going for years, as stated below:

> Other information, such as the warning about the "Join the Crew" and
> "Penpal Greetings" emails, are well-known internet hoaxes that have
> been passed around for years in one guise or the other (remember
> "Good Times"?).
> 
> For more information on these and other internet hoaxes, I'd suggest
> interested partties either check out the alt.folklore.urban newsgroup
> or their excellent website located at http://www.urbanlegends.com.
> FWIW, however, the part about being leery of attachments with email
> should be heeded -- always be suspicious of attachments sent to you by
> persons unknown...

[snippage]

To quote  Diana Parker [parkerd at mcmaster.ca], from the AEthelmearc list
not long ago (when another scare like this surfaced) -- 

Thank you for your public service announcement.  Your caring is
appreciated.  However,
 
[snip]
 
2.  Emails are text, and do not contain executable code, therefore
cannot
        be viruses activated by looking at them.
 
3.  Executable Email _attachments_ (including Excel & Word Macros)
should
        be looked upon with care and even suspicion, however even they
        would have to be downloaded & specifically told to *RUN* before
a
        virus could infect or affect your system.
 
4.  Fake virus warnings, starting with the infamous "Good Times" and
        "PenPals" have plagued the net for years.  The multiple warnings
        spidering out are themselves a "virus."
 
5.  *Everyone* who owns a computer should have a virus checking program.
        A good one is available from http://www.mcafee.com/, another
from
        http://www.fprot.com/   The best thing about sophisticated virus
        checking software is that they can check most executables
*before*
        you ever risk running them.
        (practice safe computing, use electronic prophylactics)

That's all from me.  Happy computing and Happy SCA-play!

Pax,

	-R

- -- 
+-----------------+---------------------+
|  Robert Davis,  | Robert MacDaibhidh, |
|   Student of    |      Creative       |
|   Music and     |    Anachronist      |
|  History at     | Abhain Ciach Ghlais |
| Mansfield Univ. |     AEthelmearc     |
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