John,

Thanks.  I hadn't understood this about the virus.  Is it possible
for my server technicians simply to ask for an interim program update
(for a nominal fee)? (Or does require a significant fee payment?)
 I'd like to bring this to their attention asap, in any event.

In the meantime, I would like to post a part of your message to my
group (if I may) and warn them to delete all messages they receive
with the htm-attachments, if they are using an outlook express client
(and otherwise simply never to click-on the htm-attachment).  ALL
attachments (except txt-files) are currently forbidden on our list,
however some members forget to turn off the htm function, so members
are used to it.

Please let me know about this as soon as you can.

Thanks.

DEnnis Hickman

----------
From:   John
Cottingham[SMTP:jcott@PARKINSONS-INFORMATION-EXCHANGE-NETWORK-ONLI
NE.COM]
Reply To:       LISTSERV list owners' forum
Sent:   8. boezna 2001 0:28
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: Listserv (LSOFT) virus defense (in general)

At 09:36 PM 3/7/01 +0100, you wrote:
>But coming to the main point (the one I put in the Subject line, I
>mean), I believe we have found -- quite coincidentally -- an almost
>foolproof virus defense, namely, the fact that NO virus is likely to
>come to us with a valid prefix in the subject line.  This means the
>server places it automatically in the "OTHER" category, which
>currently ONLY list managers can receive.

Dennis, the kak viruses hide in the html code produced by users using
an
infected outlook express client. It is basically a vb script that
when
opened with the recipients outlook express client after receiving it,
does
it's dirty work. The same posts opened with almost any other email
client
will not be infected because they do not run scripts and probably
just
display the ascii text rather than the html.

The May 2000 patch for 1.8d added a keyword option for the list
header
called attachments. Servers using pre May 2000 version 1.8d do not
have
this functional keyword.

My list is not the premeditated target of viruses but receives them
from
subscribers having already infected their machines elsewhere. The
possibility of infection by the unawares is having a detrimental
effect on
email lists and make it hard for a list owner to look at their error
messages because sites around the internet...quickly tell you which
post
contains the virus.

I publish my list on the web but a percentage do not have web access.
Reading on the web has advantages and disadvantages.

Parkinsn is at:

http://parkinsons-information-exchange-network-online.com/maillist
.html

John Cottingham
co-owner Parkinsn