G'day Bob

04 May 04 19:53, Bob Lawrence wrote to David Drummond:

 BL>> stuff about formatting (with one unseen line, "shell
 BL>> c:\cookies\123456.cke") 

 DD>> I don't have a directory called c:\cookies...

 BL>  Gee... that'll trick 'em. That almost as safe as Niel renaming
 BL> format.exe.

It renders "shell c:\cookies....." inoperative.

 DD>> I don't execute macros in unknown documents. Even if I did, the
 DD>> "trojan hidden somewhere else" would get caught by the virus
 DD>> checker when it was loaded for execution (assuming that it was
 DD>> known by the virus checker). 

 BL>  ROFL! Why not assume that it isn't known trhe3 the virus... or even
 BL> part of Windows itself? You don't understand the concept of failsafe.

Luck I suppose.... I have worked for this employer for over 15 years. I
have not had a virus on my workstation in that time.

 BL> Why not assume that the virus checker iself is the virus? What better
 BL> way to crash every computer in France (say) when America invades
 BL> France (say)? The CIA activates the hidden cookie, you run your virus
 BL> checker... and GOTCHA!

But how will you get me to install _your_ virus checker?

 DD>> I update my virus checker dat files several time per week.

 BL>  Jesus, that's paranoia... 

Viruses do come out that often Bob...

 BL> and what a great place to put a virus: in
 BL> the DAt file. So, there you go... the EXE you say you never run; the
 BL> virus checker itself.

I trust Symantec not to embed viruses in their data files.

 BL>  I tried to work out how to make my data, SAFE...100% total safe.
 BL> It's not possible. the virus may be part of the backup, but the next
 BL> step down in safety is physical separation. I've spent 20 years
 BL> accumulating the product I have on this computer (and elsewhere). The
 BL> computer has crashed three times in that period and I've never lost a
 BL> thing. I always have *two* computers and two hard disks in both, plus
 BL> a separate weekly backup on floppy and now flashRAM. I see Wireless
 BL> networking another step toward perfection.

Some virii are quite happy to spread via network connection (wireless or
wired). They actively seek out networked drives.

 BL>  I see a permanent Internet connection as the DEVIL!

Firewall Bob - and be careful what you download and/or attempt to execute.

Just as driving on the public street can be a risky business, one can take
measures to minimise destruction when out there zooming around.

Regards,
David

--- Msged/LNX TE 06 (pre)