Virus warning

[Earl Young]

     The slightly more correct spin on this is that MS Word - because it 
     supports macros which are executable programs - is an avenue through 
     which viruses may be spread.  Viruses can hitch a ride on anything 
     that is executable, and Word macros qualify.
     
     It is a very good idea to outfit Internet-enabled machines with Norton 
     Anti-Virus.  There may be other anti-virus programs as good as Norton 
     - but I've been using their stuff for years and have found no reason 
     to switch.  The Norton (and others?) software can be configured to 
     examine everything that comes in for popular viruses - stopping 
     problems before they arrive.  I have it built-in to my browsers, and I 
     download updates - for free - from Norton every month.  This is a good 
     and convenient way to keep Word macros from screwing up your system
     
     Who knows of other products which provide this service?
     
     Earl Young


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: Virus warning
Author:  snesbeitt at topcat.bridgew.edu at INTERNET
Date:    1/31/97 1:48 PM


I know, I know, let this thread die - but you CAN occasionally get a 
virus by reading mail - our whole department was infected with the 
Microsoft Word Concept Virus, which is a macro virus that can corrupt 
MS Word documents.  It can happen if you use a MIME-compliant e-mail 
program such as Eudora, and you receive an e-mail message with
a virus-infected MS Word file included as an attachment.  Our dept. has 
had several MS Word files corrupted in this way.  Microsoft has a 
"disinfection" program somewhere on their web page.
     
However, this is NOT what the poster referred to, and you're right that 
it's a hoax, but some viruses (like macro viruses) can be spread through 
e-mail.
     
Sarah Nesbeitt
Reference Librarian (and general web person) 
Maxwell Library, Bridgewater State College 
snesbeitt at bridgew.edu 
     
--------forwarded message
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 07:38:44 -0800
From: csymington at lakehd.lhbe.edu.on.ca (A.K.A. Craig Symington,
      Programmer/Analyst)
     
Hi Everyone,
     
THIS IS A HOAX!!!!!!  AGAIN!!!!
     
Please don't forward this on.  You CAN NOT get a virus from reading mail. 
You MUST run an excutable to get a virus.  Mail is just plain text and 
cannot be executed.
     
[snip]
     
Craig.
Programmer/Analyst
Lakehead Board of Education.