Subject: Re: [Asrg] Viruses

From: "Mark McCarron" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 04:44:29 +0000

Perhaps you should examine the 'GIEIS' system located here at:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/giza.necroplis

And also refer to ASRG - The Solution to Spam - The First Response.

This system would kill off the majority of email based attacks on 
unsuspecting users.

I would appreciate your comments,

Mark McCarron.

>From: Walter Dnes <[email-masked]>
>To: ASRG list <[email-masked]>
>Subject: Re: [Asrg] Viruses
>Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 00:26:17 -0400
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Received: from mc8-f22.law1.hotmail.com ([65.54.253.158]) by 
>mc8-s5.law1.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.5600); Fri, 27 Jun 
>2003 21:28:11 -0700
>Received: from optimus.ietf.org ([132.151.6.20]) by 
>mc8-f22.law1.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.5600); Fri, 27 Jun 
>2003 21:27:17 -0700
>Received: from localhost.localdomain ([127.0.0.1] helo=www1.ietf.org)by 
>optimus.ietf.org with esmtp (Exim 4.20)id 19W7Ij-00086T-JA; Sat, 28 Jun 
>2003 00:27:01 -0400
>Received: from odin.ietf.org ([132.151.1.176] helo=ietf.org)by 
>optimus.ietf.org with esmtp (Exim 4.20)id 19W7IL-00085z-5Jfor 
>[email-masked]; Sat, 28 Jun 2003 00:26:37 -0400
>Received: from ietf-mx (ietf-mx.ietf.org [132.151.6.1])by ietf.org 
>(8.9.1a/8.9.1a) with ESMTP id AAA02450for <[email-masked]>; Sat, 28 Jun 2003 
>00:26:33 -0400 (EDT)
>Received: from ietf-mx ([132.151.6.1])by ietf-mx with esmtp (Exim 4.12)id 
>19W7II-00016E-00for [email-masked]; Sat, 28 Jun 2003 00:26:34 -0400
>Received: from dci.doncaster.on.ca ([66.11.168.194] helo=smtp.istop.com)by 
>ietf-mx with esmtp (Exim 4.12)id 19W7I8-000169-00for [email-masked]; Sat, 28 
>Jun 2003 00:26:24 -0400
>Received: from waltdnes.org (ip27-165.tor.istop.com [66.11.165.27])by 
>smtp.istop.com (Postfix) with SMTP id CF13C36948for <[email-masked]>; Sat, 
>28 Jun 2003 00:26:17 -0400 (EDT)
>Received: by waltdnes.org (sSMTP sendmail emulation); Sat, 28 Jun 2003 
>00:26:17 -0400
>X-Message-Info: KtxBqYfPyq2q+b5GbwSpcDYCuxNqEkmv
>Message-ID: <20030628002617.C2360@m433>
>References: <[email-masked]>
>User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5.1i
>In-Reply-To: <[email-masked]>; from [email-masked] on 
>Tue, Jun 24, 2003 at 01:32:22PM -0500
>Sender: [email-masked]
>Errors-To: [email-masked]
>X-BeenThere: [email-masked]
>X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.12
>Precedence: bulk
>List-Unsubscribe: 
><https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/asrg>,<mailto:[email-masked]?subject=unsubscribe>
>List-Id: Anti-Spam Research Group - IRTF <asrg.ietf.org>
>List-Post: <mailto:[email-masked]>
>List-Help: <mailto:[email-masked]?subject=help>
>List-Subscribe: 
><https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/asrg>,<mailto:[email-masked]?subject=subscribe>
>List-Archive: <https://www1.ietf.org/pipermail/asrg/>
>Return-Path: [email-masked]
>X-OriginalArrivalTime: 28 Jun 2003 04:27:19.0948 (UTC) 
>FILETIME=[904094C0:01C33D2D]
>
>On Tue, Jun 24, 2003 at 01:32:22PM -0500, [email-masked] wrote
>
> > ALL operating systems are vulnerable to viruses, as long as the
> > systems are user-programmable (or program-extensible).  OK, your
> > digital watch, your microwave oven (probably), and your laser printer
> > probably aren't vulnerable to viruses.  But that's because nobody
> > else can much change their code, either.
> >
> > > Other operating systems, or at least late-releases (e.g., Max OSX),
> > are not susceptible to viruses.
> >
> > And just what is the "magic bullet" that you think magically makes
> > those systems "not susceptible"?  I don't believe that there IS such
> > a magic bullet.
>
>   Because they *DON'T AUTO-EXECUTE EMAIL*.  Yeah, there's been a patch
>out for a while, but each time somebody's Windows crashes, and they
>re-install, they're back to square 1.  Unixes used to have backtick
>expansion enabled in mailcap.  It was determined to be "not a good
>thing" and was depracated.  Windows comes with "Windows Scripting Host"
>enabled.  And even if you delete it, most 3rd-party programs' install
>routines will install a copy to facilitate the install script.  Of
>course the installer leaves the scripting host installed.
>
> > And in particular, a WORD macro virus (for instance) which works on
> > a Windows-based OS will probably work on a Mac-based OS too... since
> > the level of abstraction provided by the macro facility SPECIFICALLY
> > shields the executing macro from vagaries based on the underlying OS.
>
>   Not on AbiWord for linux, it won't execute.
>
> > The better solution is really to put restrictions in place on
> > incoming material (and E-mail is our focus here) such that potentially
> > dangerous executable stuff (and in practice, this means ActiveX-type
> > stuff, scripting, and potentially malicious attachments) simply
> > aren't allowed to be delivered unless they come from pre-arranged
> > (or post-permitted, maybe), _trusted_ people who we EXPECT such type
> > of stuff to come from.
>
>   Howsabout the OS not allowing users to execute attachments from inside
>email.  Beyond this, what about *AUTO_EXECUTION OF ATTACHMENTS* ?
>
> > I got a spam just a day or two ago shilling for a porn site and
> > crowing about how "no credit card required".  The link said,
> > in essence, "to connect to this site directly using your modem,
> > CLICK HERE."  Under the concealment of the HTML, the link pointed
> > to a URL of .exe type.  Most lusers wouldn't realize (of course)
> > the implication of the (truthful) prompt... that the executable was
> > planning to hang up the person's Internet connection through their
> > local ISP, then redial on the user's modem to a 900-type international
> > telephone number at staggering per-minute charges, which will of
> > course bill to the luser's phone bill to arrive a month later.
>
>   Windows *BY DEFAULT* displays an attachment named "Loveletter.txt.vbs"
>as "Loveletter.txt".  *EVEN IF YOU TURN OFF THE OPTION TO HIDE
>EXTENSIONS* .lnk and .pif *WILL STILL BE HIDDEN*, unless you get into
>some registry hacking that is beyond the ability of the average user.
>We pound away at users not to execute executable attachments, and they
>think that clicking on a *.GIF or *.JPEG is OK.
>
>--
>Walter Dnes <[email-masked]>
>Email users are divided into two classes;
>1) Those who have effective spam-blocking
>2) Those who wish they did
>
>_______________________________________________
>Asrg mailing list
>[email-masked]
>https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/asrg

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself with cool emoticons - download MSN Messenger today! 
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger

_______________________________________________
Asrg mailing list
[email-masked]
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/asrg