Can viruses infect Internet-based mail?

<null RemoveThis @zilch.com> wrote in message
news:mq12f0dsp902u2uef9j0jl7rvpckol0g68@4ax.com...
> On 11 Jul 2004 00:20:38 -0700, jdallen2000 RemoveThis @yahoo.com
(James Dow Allen)
> wrote:
> I can't give you a authoritative answer, but the idea of
naive users
> using IE makes me shudder. If you said you use a Gecko
based browser
> such as Mozilla or Firefox ... or Opera .... I'd feel much
better. At
> least, if you insist on using IE, make sure security is
set to high in
> all zones.
>
>
> Art

Man, speaking of naive, that response sure is. You are a
perfect example of the ego-centric moron who only thinks you
know it all, when in fact you are ignorant. Since you
didn't have an answer for the OP, why did you bother to pull
your head out of your ass? Who the hell cares if YOU would
feel better if ... ?
 >> Stay informed about: Can viruses infect Internet-based mail? 

<null.RemoveThis@zilch.com> wrote in message
news:mq12f0dsp902u2uef9j0jl7rvpckol0g68@4ax.com...
> I can't give you a authoritative answer, but the idea of naive users
> using IE makes me shudder. If you said you use a Gecko based browser
> such as Mozilla or Firefox ... or Opera .... I'd feel much better. At
> least, if you insist on using IE, make sure security is set to high in
> all zones.

The OP didn't state which browser he uses, and the use of Yahoo mail
doesn't specifically require IE. Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the
surface your response seems quite irrelevant.

Regards,
Ian.
 >> Stay informed about: Can viruses infect Internet-based mail? 

On that special day, James Dow Allen, (jdallen2000@yahoo.com) said...

> I read Yahoo mail at mail.yahoo.com. If I open no attachments
> (and click no links) can this infect the computer I use?

Better don't use Internet Explorer for web mailing. Last week, several
web sites which looked quite regular and sincere, had been hacked to
install trojans on the visitor's machine, complete with remote control
and such.


Gabriele Neukam

Gabriele.Spamfighter.Neukam DeleteThis @t-online.de


--
Ah, Information. A good, too valuable these days, to give it away, just
so, at no cost.
 >> Stay informed about: Can viruses infect Internet-based mail? 

James Dow Allen wrote:

> This question is asked before in this group, but I've
> not seen an answer that looks authoritative.

then here's your authoritative answer - viruses cannot infect mail, web
based or otherwise... viruses and worms *can* use web based mail as an
entry point (depending on a number of things, not the least of which
being whether or not you do dumb things like open strange attachments)
and they can probably grab your web based address book out of your
browser's cache and send to all your friends and business contacts...

> I read Yahoo mail at mail.yahoo.com. If I open no attachments
> (and click no links) can this infect the computer I use?

possibly... it depends on the browser you use and the availability of
exploits for that browser to cause it to download and run code without
user interaction... IE has recently been the focus of attention for
just such an exploit being used in the wild (though for a keylogging
trojan rather than a virus)...

--
"maxwell can tell he's in hell
just wants you to visit him there
same old game that he's playin'
his rules are never fair"
 >> Stay informed about: Can viruses infect Internet-based mail?