Re: [aclug-L] Snap:News & Media:Top Stories:Mutating E-Mail Virus

[Nate Bargmann <ka0rny@xxxxxxxxxx>]

maholmes wrote:
> 
> http://www.snap.com/main/channel/item/0,4,-9483,00.html?st.sn.hd.0.cp-9483
> 
> Two Questions:
> 1). Will melissa affect LINUX?  I have started using LINUX stirctly for
> e-mail.  As they say Melissa is imude to Virus programs.

Melissa is primarily a Word 97 macro virus and seems to affect (from
what I've read) the Outlook email program in Windows which is then able
to auto-launch Word and feed it the document with the macro.  Apparently
the user has two options when it comes to macros, enable and disable. 
It also seems Micros~1 is unwilling to correct these security problems
as that would make Windows and Office seem "less powerful."

A very good story on this subject appears on the LA Times site here:

http://www.latimes.com/HOME/BUSINESS/t000028532.1.html

- Nate >>

P.S.  Melissa should be considered a Word Macro virus, not an email
virus, although it spreads itself via email.

-- 

 Packet   | N0NB @ WF0A.#SCKS.KS.USA.NOAM       | "None can love freedom
 Internet | ka0rny@xxxxxxxxxx                   | heartily, but good
 Location | Valley Center, Kansas USA EM17hs    | men; the rest love not
        Visit my Linux + Ham Radio pages        | freedom, but license."
   http://homepage.netspaceonline.com/~ka0rny/  | -- John Milton