Forum Archive Index - January 2004

[Gavin Treadgold <gav@rediguana.co.nz>]

> Jim outlook express is not loaded on my computer fot that
> reason nor is internet explorer used

That all depends, you may find that the components that make up OE *are*
installed, just that you have no icons to access them and it doesn't appear
in the add/remoce programs list. MSFT was in court over this very issue. The
problem being that in their most recent operating systems in the past 2-4
years, they are so integrated to the operating system that they cannot be
removed. All they do is remove the icons, and their irritating ability to
open, when instead you want your more secure browser or email client to
open. Your machine is still open to the vulnerabilities caused by said
components though.

> All are on automatic update.

Doesn't matter, what matters is the frequency of the updates. If you only
update weekly, you'll get nailed by most viruses because they spread so
quickly, worldwide within 24 hrs these days. So, if you're updating weekly,
on average you'll get your protection 3.5 days after the release of the
virus. Yes, you are still reliant upon AV vendors detecting and
incorporating the signature of the virus. Even so, your AV software needs to
check for, and download new sig files on a daily basis. Much less, and there
is little point paying for the software as the virus will likely infect your
machine before you get protection.

> And suprise suprise after all this mention of attachments there are
> more and more of them.

Malcolm, these most likely were the current flavour of virus, but they could
also be how some clients send email. For example, Outlook and Outlook
Express often sends html emails in winmail.dat attachments (this is default
behaviour I think) - the result if you receive this on non Outlook mail
clients is a plaintext email with an attachment called winmail.dat. The
solution is to disable this irritating Outlook behaviour. Naturally, I think
winmail.dat can also be used to hide viruses.

So it may be a virus, and it maybe not. Better to err on the side of caution
though :)

Cheers Gav



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