Subject:  Re impt (fwd)
Date:     Wed, 3 Jun 1998 132810 -0500 (CDT)
From:     "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To:       emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------


.......Concerning Alasdair's directive below, I'd bet that there
isn't an "older" browser within this group than the one guru is using
--- I'm on UNIX......  The original internet software......guru....


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 1998 08:17:31
From: Alasdair Philips 
To: "Roy L. Beavers" 
Subject: Re: impt (fwd)

Folks

You cannot, I repeat cannot, get a virus from looking at an email.

You CAN get one from later opening a WORD or EXCEL file attached 
to an email which can embed MACROS. Do not open unsolicited 'files' 
from unkown sources.

ALWAYS virus scan .exe and .com files downloaded from the internet
before running them.

ALWAYS make sure your web-browser is an old version which will not
accept JAVA and CGI scripts (makes clever moving and speaking web
sites) OR use an up-to-date modern version which attempts to prevent
the scripts doing nasties to your system.  CGI scripts can be
particularly dangerous and clever hackers can get access to all
parts of your computer.  I have even heard of cases of scanning
through hard disk files and transmitting some to remote mailboxes
while you are looking at various web sites!  On this subject
always set the application switches so that YOU need to specifically
request to SEND any file.  Many browsers can now send files in the
background while you are doing other things.  I think this is a
dubious and unnecessary facility.

Working on sensitive issues I now use an old computer for most 
internet browsing work and a newer faster machine for actual "work".
I am quite happy to disable clever internet moving images and 
sounds.  I leave those for my son and he can use the old machine!

But I repeat........
You cannot, I repeat cannot, get a virus from looking at an email.

These 'junk' messages are generated by people who want to clog up
the internet with mass mailings which slows it down for real users.

Alasdair



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Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html