1. Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Juergen Luethje <eu.lue at gmx.de> Jan 23, 2003
- 488 views
Hi Euler, you wrote: > On 22 Jan 2003, at 12:39, Juergen Luethje wrote: <snipped by a being with 2 eyes> >> I know 2 technical ways to have both text and HTML versions of the >> message in the same e-mail: >> - "Content-Type: multipart/alternative" >> >> - "Content-Type: multipart/mixed" >> Here the HTML version is attached to the text version. >> (Of course, "multipart/mixed" can be also any other kind of >> attachment.) >> > I'll put these on my MailWasher. I use them in my MailWasher, too. >> And this is HTML only: >> - "Content-Type: text/html" >> > Already there. :) > >>> While this is not as big a risk for viruses perhaps (tho it could be, >>> since there is HTML in the email), >> >> AFAIK any HTML can contain a virus or a worm. And the risk of activating >> a virus mainly depends on the mail client on which the mail is opened, >> and what options the user of the client uses. And most of us know this >> M$-express-virus-replication mail clients. >> > I use Pegasus Mail (http://www.pmail.com) the best, most secure, and > powerful eMail client I ever found. And it's FREE for every use! I use > v3.12c though there's already a v4.02 that seems to be alot better and > fancier. The sad note to some of our fellows (Jim?) is that's Windows > only. > Anyway, if you want to make sure, there's a test (safe) at > http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/ that will expose all your > client's weaknesses. They sent me 15(!) test mails. Very interesting! > Another one is to use a *good* eMail service. MyRealBox is a very good > webmail service with POP3/IMAP/SMTP and a very effective anti-virus and > spam filter. I use it from a long time ago with no complains. Well, > they freeze from time to time (short periods) as it's a test bed for > Novell's NIMS system. I've heard the name before, but I didn't know, that they have an anti-virus and spam filter at all. I think i'll have a closer look at MyRealBox. <snipped by a being with 1 nose> > BTW, all undocumented snips made by me. :) > Kind regards, > > -- Euler German Thanks for the important security information! Best regards, Juergen -- /"\ ASCII ribbon campain | \ / against HTML in | Superstition brings bad luck. X e-mail and news | / \ and unneeded MIME |
2. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Dan Moyer <DANIELMOYER at prodigy.net> Jan 24, 2003
- 470 views
Hi Juergen, <snipped by human with 4 eyes) > > Anyway, if you want to make sure, there's a test (safe) at > > http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/ that will expose all your > > client's weaknesses. > > They sent me 15(!) test mails. > Very interesting! > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the eicar test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was safe!! Dan Moyer Belief in superstition brings bad luck.
3. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by gertie at visionsix.com Jan 24, 2003
- 438 views
On 24 Jan 2003, at 1:51, Dan Moyer wrote: > > Hi Juergen, > > <snipped by human with 4 eyes) > > > > Anyway, if you want to make sure, there's a test (safe) at > > > http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/ that will expose all your > > > client's weaknesses. > > > > They sent me 15(!) test mails. > > Very interesting! > > > > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the eicar > test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was safe!! <unsnipped by me> Almost all those seemed to rely on VBS. I wonder what would happen if they used some actual machine code or other interpreter on the puter. Kat
4. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Euler German <efgerman at myrealbox.com> Jan 24, 2003
- 447 views
On 24 Jan 2003, at 1:51, Dan Moyer wrote: > > Hi Juergen, > > <snipped by human with 4 eyes) > <snipped by human with 4 eyes too)> > > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the > eicar test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was > safe!! > Dan, while I have lots of security software in my desktop I never rely 100% on them. As you did, I never, ever, open any attachment inside my eMail client though the maker says it's safe. There's no replacement to a "safe behavior". This is as good to eMail as is for sex. (Hope Big Brother don't catch this...) ;) Euler -- /"\ The ASCII ribbon | Euler GERMAN \ / campaign against HTML | Caixa Postal 232 X eMail, HTML news, and | 35701-970 Sete Lagoas, MG, Brasil / \ unneeded MIME. | PGP key ID: 0x92D7247F
5. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Dan Moyer <DANIELMOYER at prodigy.net> Jan 24, 2003
- 439 views
Euler, I agree, & heretofore have also never directly opened attachments, always saved them to file & then looked at them as carefully as I could, looking first at "properties". But it seemed the only way to employ the test pointed to (for some of them) was to open their attachment. Dan Moyer] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Euler German" <efgerman at myrealbox.com> To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com> Subject: Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails) > > On 24 Jan 2003, at 1:51, Dan Moyer wrote: > > > > > Hi Juergen, > > > > <snipped by human with 4 eyes) > > > <snipped by human with 4 eyes too)> > > > > > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the > > eicar test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was > > safe!! > > > Dan, while I have lots of security software in my desktop I never rely > 100% on them. As you did, I never, ever, open any attachment inside my > eMail client though the maker says it's safe. There's no replacement to > a "safe behavior". This is as good to eMail as is for sex. (Hope Big > Brother don't catch this...) ;) > > Euler > > -- > /"\ The ASCII ribbon | Euler GERMAN > \ / campaign against HTML | Caixa Postal 232 > X eMail, HTML news, and | 35701-970 Sete Lagoas, MG, Brasil > / \ unneeded MIME. | PGP key ID: 0x92D7247F > > > > TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! >
6. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Dan Moyer <DANIELMOYER at prodigy.net> Jan 24, 2003
- 454 views
Kat, And, of course, if their test, intended to showcase their security software, is incomplete, then what might that say about their software? BTW, "ZoneAlarm" points people to a (not associated?) web site to test firewalls, Gibson Research, http://grc.com/default.htm the "ShieldsUp" test, what do you think of it? I haven't tried the trojan download test yet. Dan Moyer ----- Original Message ----- From: <gertie at visionsix.com> To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 3:05 AM Subject: Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails) > > On 24 Jan 2003, at 1:51, Dan Moyer wrote: > > > > > Hi Juergen, > > > > <snipped by human with 4 eyes) > > > > > > Anyway, if you want to make sure, there's a test (safe) at > > > > http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/ that will expose all your > > > > client's weaknesses. > > > > > > They sent me 15(!) test mails. > > > Very interesting! > > > > > > > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the eicar > > test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was safe!! > > <unsnipped by me> > > Almost all those seemed to rely on VBS. I wonder what would happen if they > used some actual machine code or other interpreter on the puter. > > Kat > > > > TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! >
7. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by acran at readout.fsnet.co.uk Jan 24, 2003
- 439 views
grc.com is an excellent site. I use a different approach with exe attachments and any sort of 3rd party software I download from the web or get hold of on CD-ROM. I have a second (slow but useable) computer running the same Winblows OS (98SE). I try the software on this second machine. If it does what I want and doesn't appear to exhibit unwanted side effects then I'll install and run it on my main machine. If it trashes the second machine they I reformat the hard drive and reload Windows 98SE. Actually I save time by reloading a disk image of the second machine from my first machine. You could use the popular Ghost utility but I use my home grown "replicon" DOS executable. Because I wrote replicon in Euphoria you can get it from the RDS archive. Two machines an extravagance? Maybe but you could probably take a Pentium 100Mhz machine off someone's hands for nothing (or next to nothing) these days. The actual test machine I use is an aging IBM PC with a Pentium 75Mhz in it running Windows 98SE! You get a free coffee break while it boots up Regards, Andy Cranston. At 07:09 AM 1/24/03 -0800, you wrote: > >Kat, > >And, of course, if their test, intended to showcase their security software, >is incomplete, then what might that say about their software? > >BTW, "ZoneAlarm" points people to a (not associated?) web site to test >firewalls, Gibson Research, >http://grc.com/default.htm >the "ShieldsUp" test, what do you think of it? I haven't tried the trojan >download test yet. > >Dan Moyer > >----- Original Message ----- >From: <gertie at visionsix.com> >To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com> >Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 3:05 AM >Subject: Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails) > > >> On 24 Jan 2003, at 1:51, Dan Moyer wrote: >> >> > >> > Hi Juergen, >> > >> > <snipped by human with 4 eyes) >> > >> > > > Anyway, if you want to make sure, there's a test (safe) at >> > > > http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/ that will expose all your >> > > > client's weaknesses. >> > > >> > > They sent me 15(!) test mails. >> > > Very interesting! >> > > >> > >> > I also got the 15 test emails, I think my system passed all but the >eicar >> > test virus, which is caught on save/open. Hope this really was safe!! >> >> <unsnipped by me> >> >> Almost all those seemed to rely on VBS. I wonder what would happen if they >> used some actual machine code or other interpreter on the puter. >> >> Kat >> >> >> TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! >> > > > >TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! > >
8. Re: Mail security (was: Mangling of mails)
- Posted by Euler German <efgerman at myrealbox.com> Jan 25, 2003
- 481 views
On 24 Jan 2003, at 6:53, Dan Moyer wrote: > > Euler, > > I agree, & heretofore have also never directly opened attachments, > always saved them to file & then looked at them as carefully as I could, > looking first at "properties". But it seemed the only way to employ the > test pointed to (for some of them) was to open their attachment. > Sure, you have to break some eggs... Anyway I check that address myself as you were reporting 15 eMail. When I found this site they were running 8 or 10 tests. New ones are XP and/or Outlook specific. My system (MyRealBox, ZoneAlarm [freeware] and Pegasus Mail) gave me very good results: 100%! EICAR was caught by MRB, all executable attachments were caught by ZoneAlarm and Pmail is immune to HTML/MIME malware as well as any "executable" script. So I feel a lot better now. I hope Unknown/CGI-BIN/Euman/Xanax (a.k.a. alprazolam, an antianxiety agent (trade name Xanax) of the benzodiazepine class) is reading this. He looks too anxious to be called Xanax. ;) > Dan Moyer] > Euler -- /"\ The ASCII ribbon | Euler GERMAN \ / campaign against HTML | Caixa Postal 232 X eMail, HTML news, and | 35701-970 Sete Lagoas, MG, Brasil / \ unneeded MIME. | PGP key ID: 0x92D7247F