[Auth]Re: Auth digest, Vol 1 #128 - 6 msgs

[NGUYEN PHUC NGUYEN]

----- Original Message -----
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Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2002 1:59 AM
Subject: Auth digest, Vol 1 #128 - 6 msgs


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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please scan your systems
if
>        you use an MS mail client. (Barry Fitzgerald)
>    2. Re: Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please scan
>        your systems if you use an MS mail client. (David Sugar)
>    3. Re: Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please scanyour
>        systems if you use an MS mail client. (Barry Fitzgerald)
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 12:23:03 -0400
> From: Barry Fitzgerald <address@hidden>
> Reply-To: address@hidden
> To: address@hidden
> Subject: [Auth]Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please scan
your systems if
>  you use an MS mail client.
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
> As the current list-admin, I get to filter non-member mail from this
> list.  I believe that somebody on this list who uses an MS mail client
> (Outlook or Outlook express most likely) has contracted a Klez style
> e-mail worm that massmails to people in your address book from others in
> your address book.  If you use an MS mail client, I request that you
> scan your hard drive with an up to date virus scanner.  It's a pain in
> the *** to reject dozens of worm traffic e-mails.  It is possible that
> it could be nobody on this list, becuase the latest versions of klez can
> get e-mail addresses from web pages.  However, please scan your system
> just in case, thanks.
>
> (Obviously, if you're using a GNU/Linux mail client - you don't really
> have to worry much. :) )
>
> -Barry
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 14:46:42 -0400 (EDT)
> From: David Sugar <address@hidden>
> To: Barry Fitzgerald <address@hidden>
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: [Auth]Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please scan
>  your systems if you use an MS mail client.
>
>
> While I have never received any of those infamous solecitius emails last
> year, I still find many people continue to have the need to share their
> most intimate files with me, and now this.  I can setup a procmail filter
> to kill this, but I still have to go through the trouble of receiving and
> processing mail I never wish to read.  It is unfortunate that a
> proprietary software manufacturer has refuse to acknowledge or repair what
> clearly is a fundimental design flaw in their software or to give their
> users the freedom to fix this on their own.
>
> David
>
> On Sat, 4 May 2002, Barry Fitzgerald wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > As the current list-admin, I get to filter non-member mail from this
> > list.  I believe that somebody on this list who uses an MS mail client
> > (Outlook or Outlook express most likely) has contracted a Klez style
> > e-mail worm that massmails to people in your address book from others in
> > your address book.  If you use an MS mail client, I request that you
> > scan your hard drive with an up to date virus scanner.  It's a pain in
> > the *** to reject dozens of worm traffic e-mails.  It is possible that
> > it could be nobody on this list, becuase the latest versions of klez can
> > get e-mail addresses from web pages.  However, please scan your system
> > just in case, thanks.
> >
> > (Obviously, if you're using a GNU/Linux mail client - you don't really
> > have to worry much. :) )
> >
> > -Barry
> > _______________________________________________
> > Auth mailing list
> > address@hidden
> > http://subscribe.dotgnu.org/mailman/listinfo/auth
> >
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 16:31:53 -0400
> From: Barry Fitzgerald <address@hidden>
> Reply-To: address@hidden
> To: David Sugar <address@hidden>
> CC: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: [Auth]Somebody on this list has an e-mail worm -- please
scanyour
>  systems if you use an MS mail client.
>
> David Sugar wrote:
> >
> > While I have never received any of those infamous solecitius emails last
> > year, I still find many people continue to have the need to share their
> > most intimate files with me, and now this.  I can setup a procmail
filter
> > to kill this, but I still have to go through the trouble of receiving
and
> > processing mail I never wish to read.  It is unfortunate that a
> > proprietary software manufacturer has refuse to acknowledge or repair
what
> > clearly is a fundimental design flaw in their software or to give their
> > users the freedom to fix this on their own.
> >
>
>
> I agree completely.  The sheer lack of security in the MS OS' and
> applications (including the "New Technology" line) is sickening.  I
> would not care so much if it were Free Software because massive problems
> like this could be readily engineered out of the system.
>
> If something like this were to happen on GNU/Linux systems (not entirely
> impossible, although it would be very hard for it to survive in the wild
> due to people having different software combinations on their systems)
> it could be fixed in the code.  This is the way that nature chooses to
> deal with such threats: adapt and survive.
>
> The proprietary method is duck, cover, and if you don't see it then it
> must not be there.  However, if you do see it then it's your fault for
> using your PC.  I actually read a Slate article a few years ago (Slate
> is an online magazine owned by MS, IIRC) where the author actually said
> that the user was at fault for all of MS Windows' flaws.  The crux of
> the article was that the user was at fault because they had taken the
> time to turn the PC on in the first place.  This is like a car
> manufacturer not putting locks on their car doors and then, when public
> outcry occurred, saying "It's not our fault that your cars were stolen.
> You chose to drive it."
>
> The sick thing about this argument is that it's somewhat true.  People
> are somewhat at fault for buying into the Redmond monopoly.  However, MS
> is not without blame.  They are at blame for actively working to lock
> people into a system - through technological, legal, social, and
> marketing means - that has a degree of quality so low that it would
> never survive in any other comparable free industry.
>
> This is not to say that everything that comes out of Redmond is without
> merit - it's not.  Some technologies (like CLI/CLR) are very worthwhile
> and certainly MS has hired some very intelligent people.  However, for
> every great technology that Redmond comes up with, there are at least 10
> mediocre or downright dangerously misengineered technologies.
>
> The best polemic for the pragmatism of Free Software under copyleft
> licensing is the existance of these large monolithic proprietary
> software companies that can't even take the time to properly fix
> problems that are ravaging many of their customers' systems.  And no, I
> don't consider releasing a patch to outlook which disables it's ability
> to download executable files a "decent fix".  That amounts to fixing a
> broken arm with a sledgehammer.
>
> -Barry
>
>
> --__--__--
>
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> End of Auth Digest