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ray_g

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Ok, now that we are getting inundated by the forum version of spam mail, my question is: can our computers get viruses this way?
 
ray_g said:
Ok, now that we are getting inundated by the forum version of spam mail, my question is: can our computers get viruses this way?

Shouldn't be possible unless you download an attachment or follow a link in the post.

I think the forum software encapsulates JavaScript or PHP code so potentially malicious code can't be executed just by reading a post. For example, if interpreted "raw" by a web browser, the following script would generate an alert box, but it doesn't here:

Code:
<script language="Javascript">alert("If you see an alert box here, Javascript is messing with you.")</script>
 
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You lost me at Javascript, Jim. With email, you get the virus when you open the email. My concern is = would you (hypothetically) get it when you open the thread?
 
I rarely send out email. So I dont know what you guys are talking about. I think I have sent 3 or 4 emails in the past 2 months.
 
Going to Mammouth Cave National Park Thursday. We will be bopping around south central Kentucky, and probably make it up to Kings Point in Cincinnatti one day, (maybe 6 flags in Lousiville, will decide that later today). I would love to sneek out to Churchhill Downs next weekend for the final races of the season, but I don't think I will be granted a leave to be able to do that. We are driving out, so some time Friday down the streatch we will be coming!!
 
ray_g, worry but don't worry too much 🙂

JLW is right, the realy dangerous commands are not allowed in the forum software.

The clickable e-mail attachment relies on two things, a falsified filename extension and a falsified tag to trick you and your mail reader into beleiving it is something else.

This works because modern Windows Versions don't show the extension of known file types by default but execute them.
An example, when you rename a virus from malware.exe to nice-tits.jpg.exe the attachment is shown as nice-tits.jpg by most Windows installations and if you double click it Windows reads the hidden .exe extension and does not call the program used to view pictures but executes the program.

You can hack a website and install malware on it, even MSN japan was hacked recently, but you can be reasonably save when you have the newest patches for Windows XP, it can become critical with Windows 2000 as support has been discontinued since july 1st.
A file uploaded to the forum or the gallery won't do the trick.

Just don't add websites outside your controll to the trusted zones.

I once had a "signature virus":

I'm a signature virus, please pass this message to all your friends and reformat your harddisks after that.
 
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