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RE: Posting formats (OT)



In your message regarding RE: Posting formats (OT) dated Tue, 9 Jan 2001
00:07:22 -0800, Paul Hoeffer (Merentha) said that ...

>PH­  Please note that all email programs are vulnerable to viruses.  In other
>PH­  words, not using MS software is not going to keep you from getting viruses
>PH­  (there are actually far more Unix viruses than Windows viruses, for
>PH­  instance).

Errr ... wrong actually.  There are a number of Trojan Horses out there for
*nix systems but if you are security conscious then they pose no threat.
Because of the the administration rights required to access operating
system files under *nix, proper security will thwart any attempt to execute
malicious code.  There are in excess of 50,000 Windows/DOS virii.

>PH­  
>PH­  Bob's response is right on the money - there is no substitute for common
>PH­  sense and good anti-virus software.

True


>PH­  
>PH­  If you think this is bad, consider the percentage of people who have their
>PH­  computers hooked up directly to a DSL line or cable modem with no firewall
>PH­  at all...

Ahh .... now there's another thing.  The number of people who have Netbios
(port 139) exposed to the universe are numbered in millions.  My security
log records at least 20 attempts/day to connect to various ports on my
server.

For those running Windows 95/98 directly connected to the Internet I would
*strongly* suggest having a look at http://grc.com and then go and download
ZoneAlarm (it's free - the pro version cost very little too) from
http://www.zonelabs.com/


- -- 
Mike Bostock
mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.toothfairy.co.uk/

'99 Red ST

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