Just a matter of "safe email"?
Virus protection and insurgent Spam, it's just a matter of "safe email"...
Nobody needs to struggle with a "virus" attack or wants to manage unsolicited junk email (Spam). So why do we try so hard to make things easy? You know, spend a "dollars worth" of brain cells to save a "dimes worth" of protection against these two well known computing hassles!
The following is a classic instance of one mans attempt to do the "right thing". A message was sent to one of the email newsletters I belong to and in the worst sense of the word, offers a "tip" to control the spreading of an email viruses. It's a good example of taking the "easy way out" and not going to the trouble of installing antiviral software, which is a "must do" if you are a reasonable person. Joe Blow's (real name withheld for obvious reasons) email message represents a common course of action taken by those individuals who try to help others when they don't fully understand what's going on. They pass along the "cure all" tip to protect or help us against those nasty things that are hard to deal with and in this case, an anti-virus tip which "seems" attractive because it may make our lives easier. It further illustrates the abuse of Spam by its vary nature, another problematic subject, in the sense that the people who subscribe to this particular newsletter never asked for the "free advice" offered. So, considering the spreading ugliness of viruses, lets see what Joe Blow has spam'd us with today...
--start message--
Hi All,
This is a legit tip to incorporate for your e-mail program;
==================================
Avoid spreading computer viruses -- How to Trick your address book!
Who among us doesn't know someone who has experienced the embarrassment of unknowingly spreading a computer virus via their email address book? It's time to STOP this from happening by TAKING CONTROL of your email program!
For those who are unaware, many computer viruses spread themselves by sending themselves to everyone in your address book. Imagine how you would feel if you were unknowingly infected with a computer virus, and worse yet, your friends, family, and business contacts were being targeted by your computer! Well, if you want to avoid this sort of thing, here's a great tip: This tip won't prevent YOU from getting any viruses (you have to scan those attachments yourself before opening them to do that), but it will stop those viruses from latching onto your address book and sending itself out to others.
To avoid spreading computer viruses, create a contact in your email address book with the name: !0000 (with no email address in the details). This contact will then show up as your first contact. If a virus attempts to do a "send all" on your contact list, your PC will put up an error message saying that: "The Message could not be sent. One or more recipients do not have an e-mail address. Please check your Address Book and make sure all the recipients have a valid e-mail address." You click on OK and the offending (virus) message would not have been sent to anyone. Of course no changes have been made to your original contacts list.
The offending (virus) message may then be automatically stored in your "Drafts" or "Outbox" folder. Go in there and delete the offending message. Problem is solved and virus is not spread.
--end message--
Boy oh boy! Joe Blow starts out with a mouthful don't you think? First off who and what should we considered "legit" when information comes from an unknown source or person? The net is notorious for cloaking people in "anonymity" and for being an environment where individuals can fabricate some pretty exotic ideas. Free advice is abundant and if you're not careful, it can and will bite you in the ass. The next thing that strikes me is the fact that Joe states "Avoid spreading computer viruses-- How to Trick your address book!" Sheesh! Spreading them shouldn't come into the conversation if you've taken the time to dot your i's and cross your "t's". Trick your address book? All I can say is the "trick" will be on you. Remember, again and again, "garbage in, garbage out"! Ok, the stage is set...
Yeah that's it... I can relate to sending the garbage out, it takes to the likening... well, let's just say it's similar to some of the things I write, like where's the real "meat" of the matter? Ah huh, it always comes back to the "meat" and I think we're looking at a chicken wing's worth of advice here. By the time you chew the meat off the bone you're looking for more. Joe gives us just a tiny taste when we're dealing with a huge appetite, a wee bit of advice about virus intrusion and how to avoid spreading it. Being a kind hearted person he's going to save us from then inevitable, the painful embarrassment that will come home to us after passing on a virus to somebody else, hmm, very interesting. Sounds like dealing with an unwanted pregnancy to me? Let's be reasonable, should we not be responsible and protect ourselves, FIRST? Joe Blow's intentions (giving free advice?) may be considerate, I don't know. I don't know him, or his purpose. But, I am compelled to draw on one simple undeniable fact; this is "bad advice" for sure. Bad advice is usually free, easy and a "quick fix" to cover up the real problem. That usually stinks, don't you think? It's very similar to spraying a whiff of "smell good" to cover up a foul odor. The odor really hasn't gone away, it just smells "prettier". The real problem here folks, is an issue of being reasonable and maintaining adequate "virus protection".
Wouldn't it be better to "take control" of the email you receive by "properly protecting" yourself against virus attacks? A before the fact solution not an after the fact treatment. Don't become an embarrassment to your friends by dumping viruses in their mailbox, at least not ones you could have stopped from the get go and prevented their malicious damage. That's reasonable isn't it?
Well it sure is if you have to deal with the eradication of a virus. I know some good "responsible" technician friends that have to deal with "virus removal" daily and it's a royal pain in the butt. No, it's just not cool to be included in the group of "one of those" individuals whom remain in the dark, someBODY who doesn't even know they have a virus. These are the types of people whom my tech friends have to bale out continually and in the mean time, they spread their infections around like butter on fresh bread.. I don't want to be exposed to these people, REALLY! By having my email address in someone's contacts list anyone can expose me to attacks by "virtual association". The virus penetrates their system, finds "my address" in their contacts list and heads directly for my mailbox and everyone else's in the contact list. Not good, not good at all. If someone remains "un-protected" and their irresponsibility leads to a virus infection, it's no one else's fault, they're playing with fire and fanning the flames. Worse yet is the fact that many people don't even understand what "not to open", those files "that may" contain a virus. That puts them at the edge of the diving board over troubled waters, a belly flop waiting to happen. Unfortunately it's a combination of innocent ignorance and unknowing irresponsibility. Or, you could just call them stupid. The fact is an email virus sent by friend or foe could come knocking at your door at any time, whether you like it or not. You don't want that! It's best to get protection and avoid the entire hassle.
It's bad enough to struggle with virus attacks but equally aggravating is the fact that Spam is not likely to go away either. This email "tip" looks and smells like Spam but, and that's a big confusing BUT, it's not trying to "profit" from our laziness? Most targeted Spam does. It must be a more personal type of Spam, the kind like my good friends send me. You know, pictures and jokes that circulate like wildfire and you get the same thing from multiple people. They want to make me happy, right? Anyway we've been "Spam'd" with bad advice, we know that. Think about this though, could it be something we don't quite get, something "beyond" our understanding? What about a "set-up" to crafty scheme to harvest information from our system? I don't know, do you? I'm not a programmer but, really folks think about it, "add this entry (!000) into your address book"? For what? To create a "direct link" for a "rogue program" so it can infiltrate your contact list. Another means to gather email addresses to provide destinations for more Spam? Or maybe a route to plant a "special gift" virus by way of a select programming script? Can anyone say it's "not possible"? I don't think so. Well then, what's the deal, where we going with this Joe Blow?
I guess only Joe Blow can answer that question and I don't think the "Problem is solved" by adding a "dummy" contact as he suggests. At least I don't want to take a chance on "the easy fix" because I have a strict inclination to protect and preserve. Yep, that's about it in a few words-thanks but no thanks Joe.
You, me and Joe Blow would all be better off if we stuck to what we know and understand. Better yet, try to come up with some legitimate way(s) of dealing with irresponsible people who waste bandwidth and our time with unique flavors of Spam and the ultimate "cure all's". Oh, while we're at it, let's not forget to solve the bigger more specific picture, putting a stop to the "crackers", the one's that develop the malicious virus codes. Hey, now there's an easy fix to bite into! And for you folks who don't quite get the drift of what I'm saying, get busy, get protected and don't believe everything you read.
What you can do to get "protected" from email born viruses?
Visit Symantec.com for a thorough understanding of virus problems and solutions.
How about a few tricks to deal with spammers?