Virus

[Aaron Konstam]

On Fri, 2007-08-24 at 11:19 -0400, Jacques B. wrote:
> > > > WELL YOU LIKE TO LIVE DANGEROUSLY. NEVER CLICK ON A VIRUS WEB PAGE. WEB
> > > > BROWSERS CAN COLLECT THE ADDRESSES OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE WEB SITE,
> > > > SO YOU ARE ALREADY COMPROMISED.
> (snip)
> > >
> > > Please turn off your capslock key.  It makes you look foolish.
> > >
> > > Web browsers do not collect anything.  Web _servers_ might.
> > >
> (snip)
> > You are right it is web servers that collect addresses. However I kept
> > the caps lock key on purpose since opening a phish web site is a silly
> > thing to do and I wanted to emphasize that. To subtle I guess.
> >
> > Aaron Konstam
> 
> It depends on why you are opening it, and what precautionary measures
> you are taking when doing so (i.e. using Linux instead of Windows, via
> a virtual machine, using a Live CD, from a public access point, etc).
> The OP's posting doesn't say he opened it in Linux, but that appears
> to be the case reading between the lines.  So he is not at risk of any
> IE/Windows exploits.  That being the case, why would he be compromised
> for having visited the site?  In this scenario at most the web server
> will have the IP of the person who visited, and the browser they used
> (and some other non-compromising information).
> 
> I agree that caps lock is not necessary other than perhaps to
> emphasize a word, but not an entire posting.
> 
> We are straying off topic seeing none of this relates to Linux.  But
> seeing the issue is out there now, as was pointed out this is a
> phishing scam not a virus.  These scams are a dime a dozen (I've seen
> many of them).  Prudent advice is to delete without opening the
> message or visiting the site.  Or participate in fighting the problem
> through phishtank.org and such sites, and reporting it to the
> organisation being represented so that they can take action.  Visiting
> one of these sites does not necessarily automatically compromise you
> (especially when running Linux and a non-IE browser).
> 
> Jacques B.
We just disagree. Opening up the web site gives the sender the
information that it has found a live user who can be conned in some way.
This conning has nothing to do with using Windows.
> 
--
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It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be
coming up it. -- Henry Allen
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Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam at sbcglobal.net