![]() |
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query
mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the
culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the
culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Thanks for that, Bruce. I already have Malwarebytes installed, plus
AVG Free, and have also blocked images from appearing, so I guess I am pretty-much covered. Still, if I do not recognise the sender of an email, I always `save to desktop` and scan with AVG, just in case, and all emails with attachments get scanned, regardless of who they`re from (I didn`t install AVG`s automatic Email Scanner - too disruptive). But, then, I don`t get a lot of emails, so it`s not a big chore. Incidentally, do you know if can .pdf files be infected? Thanks again Kate "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Thanks for that, Bruce. I already have Malwarebytes installed, plus
AVG Free, and have also blocked images from appearing, so I guess I am pretty-much covered. Still, if I do not recognise the sender of an email, I always `save to desktop` and scan with AVG, just in case, and all emails with attachments get scanned, regardless of who they`re from (I didn`t install AVG`s automatic Email Scanner - too disruptive). But, then, I don`t get a lot of emails, so it`s not a big chore. Incidentally, do you know if can .pdf files be infected? Thanks again Kate "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
You seem to have everything under control. AFA pdf files, I suppose it is
possible, but I have not run across it in these newsgroups. -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... Thanks for that, Bruce. I already have Malwarebytes installed, plus AVG Free, and have also blocked images from appearing, so I guess I am pretty-much covered. Still, if I do not recognise the sender of an email, I always `save to desktop` and scan with AVG, just in case, and all emails with attachments get scanned, regardless of who they`re from (I didn`t install AVG`s automatic Email Scanner - too disruptive). But, then, I don`t get a lot of emails, so it`s not a big chore. Incidentally, do you know if can .pdf files be infected? Thanks again Kate "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
You seem to have everything under control. AFA pdf files, I suppose it is
possible, but I have not run across it in these newsgroups. -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... Thanks for that, Bruce. I already have Malwarebytes installed, plus AVG Free, and have also blocked images from appearing, so I guess I am pretty-much covered. Still, if I do not recognise the sender of an email, I always `save to desktop` and scan with AVG, just in case, and all emails with attachments get scanned, regardless of who they`re from (I didn`t install AVG`s automatic Email Scanner - too disruptive). But, then, I don`t get a lot of emails, so it`s not a big chore. Incidentally, do you know if can .pdf files be infected? Thanks again Kate "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Make sure that OE is set to run in the Restricted Zone, which is the
default. This is set at Tools, Options, Security. The restricted zone disables the potentially dangerous parts of HTML (Scripting and ActiveX). -- Mike - http://TechHelp.Santovec.us "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Make sure that OE is set to run in the Restricted Zone, which is the
default. This is set at Tools, Options, Security. The restricted zone disables the potentially dangerous parts of HTML (Scripting and ActiveX). -- Mike - http://TechHelp.Santovec.us "Bruce Hagen" wrote in message ... I don't agree with that 100% It is attachments and links that are the culprits 99.99% of the time. Tools | Options | Read. Check: Read messages in plain text and you won't see any HTML. Tools | Options | Security. "Block images........." stops SpyBots in spam when reading in HTML. (Not a virus). With all that said, if you have a decent up-to-date AV program, your risk is minimal. This is a good program to keep and run once a week or so. It checks for any Malware you may have picked up, usually from a Website. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.40 http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...-10804572.html -- Bruce Hagen MS-MVP [Mail] Imperial Beach, CA "Kate" wrote in message ... In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Kate wrote:
In the ms.public.windowsxp.help_and_support NG, a reply to a query mentioned that just opening an HTML-formatted email that contains malicious software can be enough to infect a computer. How can I tell if an email is formatted in this way when it arrives in my Inbox, please? Is it obvious? Thanks Kate There are lots of users that keep spewing out "info" that is outdated by many years. Development for OE stopped way back in 2002 (with one change in SP-2 Windows XP). The "info" this boob recited is older than that (I saw their reply and rolled my eyes). If you render HTML-formatted e-mails under the Restricted Sites security zone (the default) and if the Restricted Sites security zone is at its default settings (or higher) than nasties, like scripts, inside of HTML-formatted e-mails cannot run. That does not address the possibly of web beacons that can be used to track that an e-mail got opened, the IP address that opened it, when it got opened, how many times it was opened, etc. OE, by default, will block external links, like to image or sound files that can be used as web beacons. Under the default setup of OE (render HTML under Restricted Security zone and block external content), the remaining danger is what *YOU* do with the e-mail. Clicking on links in HTML e-mails (which may go to somewhere else than they show) or extracting attachments are actions you commit and you are responsible for. No e-mail client can overcome the users commitment to ignorantly or deliberately hurt themself. In OE, hover the mouse pointer over a URL link and check the status bar to see where that link really goes. Don't accept e-mails or extract files from them them when sent by an unknown sender (or anyone if you don't need that file and/or weren't expecting it, and even then you should be scanning it and perhaps even testing it, if an executable, inside a virtual machine). There have been exploits in image file formats to proliferate malware but that is not the fault of the e-mail client. The image rendering is performed by image libraries back in the OS. Those have happened, got closed, but could possibly happen again. You could configure OE to always read your e-mails in plain-text mode if you are paranoid. Fact is, most e-mails have no reason for using HTML format as their content is just text. Those that splatter graphics all over inside their e-mails are using distraction to hide that they haven't much content. Like greeting cards with pictures, borders, glitter, and other garbage, they have very little to actually say. |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
In Outlook 2007, How to change default email format from HTML to t | kmcorrell | Outlook - Installation | 1 | September 27th 08 06:32 AM |
How to set Outlook to show HTML format for email as default settin | Eric | Outlook Express | 4 | June 4th 08 12:26 PM |
Help - HTML email format lost after reading in outlook 2003 | [email protected] | Outlook - General Queries | 1 | July 20th 07 04:53 PM |
Converting an email in HTML format to another for printing attachm | Frank | Outlook - Installation | 1 | November 15th 06 08:43 PM |
How to send email in HTML format? | Ivan | Outlook and VBA | 1 | August 10th 06 08:48 PM |