TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 May 02 - 08:28 PM

Internet Explorer 5.5 is still considered an IE5 version. Unfortunately, Micro$oft products are pretty big targets. You do need to keep up with fixes as they come out.

My S.O. recently "moved up" to 5.5 when the @#%$! b...ds from Intuit dumped it on her with the installation of TurboTax. No notice, and no request for permission. Their dump disabled security upgrades she already had installed with IE5, - and it CANNOT be uninstalled using the "uninstall software" routine without reverting back to the default 5.0 - or by manually deleting some 60 files and reinstalling from scratch.

Download and installation of current security fixes - from scratch, with my POTS connection is at least a 6 hour process for any IE version, including a default back to her original 5.0. I have removed all Intuit products from my 4 machines, just because they p.o.- ed me.

[End Rant]

If you got IEx.x anywhere except from a Microsoft Installation CD for a current operating system, then you need to download some fixes. They're free, but may take some time.

You can check your status in IE by clicking Help - About.

IE5 should show you, as a minimum, Version 5.00.3314.2101, Cipher Strength: 128-bit, Update Versions SP2; q295106; q306121; q313829. The "extra digits" on the version indicate upgrade levels.

IE5.5 should be at least Version 5.50.4807.2300, Update Versions:SP2.

There are also some security upgrades for various operating systems, including separate JavaScript/VM patches - different for each OS; but I don't have citations at hand now. I'll take a look at what I've done recently, and come back if I find something that needs special emphasis.

You can start at the Microsoft Download Center if you're not current - or just want to check what's new.

John

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: michaelr
Date: 13 May 02 - 08:01 PM

Joe - I use free Yahoo! email which blocks out spam automatically. I never get junk email! It's great! I don't use Outlook at all because of its vulnerability to viruses.

Between that and Norton AntiVirus, you should be very well protected. And I'd like to add my thanks for your work on this site.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 May 02 - 07:53 PM

If you're a paranoid who reads all the security bullitins, like me, you will notice that Outlook is still refered to as "virus friendly". And if you go above Netscape 4.78 or Explorer 5.5, you'll find that a number of academic web sites will fail to display properly. Something to do with java and javascript.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 May 02 - 07:43 PM

Re-post: clone may delete previous.

There is also a virus JS.Seeker.B that has been around for a while that attempts to redirect internet connections.

This one (also called Troj/Jet.home) attempts to change your home page to either an Investment Club or a Porn Site. Norton will usually "disable" it, but may leave some associated trash that can cause erratic internet connections.

The "standard look" is for a file called "sp.dll". If it's on your machine - you've probably been attacked by this one, although - especially if Norton or other AV worked - it's considered a "low threat" thing.

It doesn't sound like this one is your problem, but ya gotta' check it all. We found it on one machine a couple of months ago. Norton stopped it, but the trash left behind gave us error messages on boot that it took a while to figure out.

John

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 May 02 - 07:36 PM

There is also a virus that has been around for a while that attempts to redirect internet connections.

This one (also called Troj/Jet.home) attempts to change your home page to either an Investment Club or a Porn Site. Norton will usually "disable" it, but may leave some associated trash that can cause erratic internet connections.

The "standard look" is for a file called "sp.dll". If it's on your machine - you've probably been attacked by this one, although - especially if Norton or other AV worked - it's considered a "low threat" thing.

It doesn't sound like this one is your problem, but ya gotta' check it all. We found it on one machine a couple of months ago. Norton stopped it, but the trash left behind gave us error messages on boot that it took a while to figure out.

John

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 May 02 - 07:11 PM

Joe -

In Internet Explorer, if you click on Tools, Internet Options, Advanced, and scroll down near the bottom to Microsoft VM, you can probably get by with clearing all the check boxes there and it may help get rid of some of this behavior.

I'm not sure I've got the whole dope on what all it does, and I'm told you may run into an occasional site that won't display everything if you don't permit "Virtual Machine," - but it hasn't been a problem for me since someone suggested this change.

I've heard of this behavior also if you let them dump MSN Explorer (NOT NOT! NOT!! NOT!!! the same thing as Internet Explorer) on you. Latest versions of MSN-E apparently force you to use html email - and prevent you from accessing POP3 - just a rumor, 'cause they won't tell you what it does until they've done it to you.

John

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 13 May 02 - 06:45 PM

Only friends and family have my POP3 address, everything else goes through a hotmail account.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 13 May 02 - 06:32 PM

Joe, for what it's worth, I've been very happy with Netscape (I have version 4.79, I would NOT recommend going up to version 5), and it works well with Norton AntiVirus--I've had several virus-containing emails blocked. If I have to give an email address to a site that I'm not really comfortable with, I use my RoadRunner email. It does use Outlook...but I don't look at it! I tried to use Eudora but I'm just comfortable with the Netscape format and didn't feel like learning something new. (Gee, I'm not even 50 and I'm starting to sound like an old fogey!) If I were just starting out, Eudora would probably make sense.

Aloha,
Mark

PS, in case you haven't heard it in a while, thanks for all your work on the 'Cat.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 May 02 - 06:28 PM

You could try this free and very straightforward program Mailwasher. With it you can check what's been sent to you, and even see what's in it if you aren't sure, without having to open it up in Outlook Express, and delete it, and blacklist the sender in a way that I gather sends a message back reporting that you don't exist.

I know there are more sophisticated programs around, but this one leaves me in control. I don't, for example, want something that cuts out anything with "sex" in it and leaves me wondering why I'm not hearing from anyone living in my local county Essex anymore.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 02 - 06:17 PM

Well I guess you have the answer, Joe

Don't use Outlook Express...

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Midchuck
Date: 13 May 02 - 05:29 PM

I use the old freeware version of Eudora because of this type of problem (and even worse ones, like worms/virii written in Java). This mail software doesn't interpret HTML - it just prints out the code. So nothing happens. Most spam is sent as HTML, so I just dump all the messages that are garbage code.

Peter.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 13 May 02 - 05:02 PM

Hi, Joe

Whenever I get an e-mail from an unknown source in Outlook, I highlight the message, go to "File/Save As" and save the message as a .txt file in a temp folder on my hard drive (I called mine "Holding"). I run a virus check on it before opening the file (practicing a "belt and suspenders" sort of caution), then open it in Notepad so I can view the raw contents (pun intended in the case of unsolicited XXX materials). If it's something I don't want, I delete the .txt file in my Holding folder and blow out the unopened message in Outlook. (Also, I never use the Preview Pane in Outlook anymore, as it allows HTML files to execute simply by highlighting the message line.)

Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Bill D
Date: 13 May 02 - 04:44 PM

it doesn't happen In Eudora or Pegasus (thought I let VERY few emails get TO my hard drive without previewing them in a checker first, and deleting the BS ones on the server)...OE seems to be especially succeptable to that sort of nonsense...perhaps there is some on/off switch that will tell it not to do that without asking?

Subject: RE: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Amos
Date: 13 May 02 - 03:49 PM

Joe:

I suspect you're getting HTML format email. As always the best choice is the Delete button.

A

Subject: TECH: E-Mail opening Web Pages
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 May 02 - 03:45 PM

I have Outlook Express Version 5.5, and I've noticed a bothersome problem lately. Apparently, I'm getting SPAM messages from porno sites, and the e-mails appear to be able to take me to Web pages without my doing anything. Under "Options/Security," I have "Restricted Sites" selected, and I thought that would disable any Javascripts I might get in e-mails.
How can I stop this?
-Joe Offer-