Virus alert!

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#21
quote:
Originally posted by ekylo:
That's true but it's a problem that most board listings have. You can always remove your contact information. You just sort of have to decide if keeping your contact information up is worth the added spam you'll get from people picking up your address from various scans.

And to let you know, and to show you how demented I am, I occassionally purposely open up infected emails to a) verify that my virus scan would catch them in the event I went brain dead one day and b) it's sort of funny reading the virus codes at times. I wish people would stop automatically assuming all virus writers are real coders, some are obviously kit bashed and others are just downright pathetic. And I think I once again showed how much of a geek I am... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]

yes, you are a certified geek. :P

#22
quote:
Originally posted by ekylo:
That's true but it's a problem that most board listings have. You can always remove your contact information. You just sort of have to decide if keeping your contact information up is worth the added spam you'll get from people picking up your address from various scans.

And to let you know, and to show you how demented I am, I occassionally purposely open up infected emails to a) verify that my virus scan would catch them in the event I went brain dead one day and b) it's sort of funny reading the virus codes at times. I wish people would stop automatically assuming all virus writers are real coders, some are obviously kit bashed and others are just downright pathetic. And I think I once again showed how much of a geek I am... [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]

We are REALLY lucky most virus writers are unskilled 'programmers'. The amount of damage, say, I or people I know at work could do given enough motivation is horrendous. Much less someone who's actually been trained in computer security. It's sort of like how I'm surprised credit card fraud isn't even more rampant than it is; every time you physically buy something they take an imprint of your card, which has your card #, your expiration date, and they also get your signature. Someone could just siphon off numbers and run a scam.

...I suppose it's that, by the time most people acquire the skills to actually create things like computer virii, most of them know better. It's script kiddies mostly who pose a threat.

#23
quote:
Originally posted by Ecchifan:
correct me if i'm wrong, but don't some viruses send emails using the infected user's account w/o his/her knowledge? if so, would you still blame the victim in this case?

I was attempting to say the original poster (GnatB) should not blame the victim. He was ripping on people for getting infected in the first place, which is sort of like saying "she had it coming, she was wearing that short skirt".

#24
quote:
Originally posted by Ecchifan:
but using the PP board to get my email address is a rather dirty trick. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/frown.gif[/img]

[This message has been edited by Ecchifan (edited 06-30-2003).]

Yes, it is a dirty trick. And if you do some research (see link), it turns out it's actually one of the most common ways spammers get your email address.

http://www.cdt.org/speech/spam/030319spamreport.shtml

#25
quote:
Originally posted by Nandemonai:
We are REALLY lucky most virus writers are unskilled 'programmers'. The amount of damage, say, I or people I know at work could do given enough motivation is horrendous. Much less someone who's actually been trained in computer security.

Yeah, I know. Still bugs the heck out of me. Of course, it's a fun discussion at work. Since I'm a UNIX guy, it's always fun to point out that almost any clown can go writing a virus for Windows but to do something similar on a UNIX box would take more skill and knowledge than most people have.

#26
quote:
Originally posted by Nandemonai:
I was attempting to say the original poster (GnatB) should not blame the victim. He was ripping on people for getting infected in the first place, which is sort of like saying "she had it coming, she was wearing that short skirt".

No, It's like saying she was having unprotected sex with everybody who looked at her, (with or without their consent) so it's her fault she spread Syphilis to half the world. Sure, maybe she didn't know sex unprotected sex spread syphilis... but does that reduce her crime?

And I'm not saying you should not open .exe's or .bat's, or .com's, or whatever. I'm saying you shouldn't open *ANY* attachments. And yes, it will go through the victims address book, and e-mail the virus to others... but that victim *still* has to open the attachment in the first place.

As for people that don't know better? They shouldn't be allowed to use e-mail in the first place, until they fix their ignorance. People aren't allowed to drive until they show they know how, people shouldn't be allowed to use E-Mail until they show they know how... (yeah, fat chance enforcing that...) Both things, can hurt innocent people going about their business.

#27
quote:
Originally posted by GnatB:
No, It's like saying she was having unprotected sex with everybody who looked at her, (with or without their consent) so it's her fault she spread Syphilis to half the world. Sure, maybe she didn't know sex unprotected sex spread syphilis... but does that reduce her crime?

And I'm not saying you should not open .exe's or .bat's, or .com's, or whatever. I'm saying you shouldn't open *ANY* attachments. And yes, it will go through the victims address book, and e-mail the virus to others... but that victim *still* has to open the attachment in the first place.

As for people that don't know better? They shouldn't be allowed to use e-mail in the first place, until they fix their ignorance. People aren't allowed to drive until they show they know how, people shouldn't be allowed to use E-Mail until they show they know how... (yeah, fat chance enforcing that...) Both things, can hurt innocent people going about their business.

I suppose you're going to come up with a big plan to enforce against ignorance? :P

#28