Re: Virus Hoax (was Re: [Fwd: Virus warning])

[William Beaty <billb@ESKIMO.COM>]

On Wed, 12 May 1999, Bob Sciamanda wrote:

> Isn't it possible to infect MSWord using a Macro as a virus?  I was once so
> infected, and was not aware of having downloaded and run an executable
> (might it have been done through a Word document file?).

Yep.  If you open an attachment, and the attachment is not pure .txt, then
the attachment "executes" (it runs system software and could be doing lots
of stuff.)  Some email programs have "view attachment, save attachment,
open attachment" on the menu, and the "viewer" SEEMS to look at .doc
attachments without running Msword.  This is with Groupwise email at work.

I think the Melissa word-macro virus subverted *psychology* more than
hardware, since it seemed to come from a friend, and the rule "don't open
attachments from strangers" didn't apply.


((((((((((((((((((((( ( (  (   (    (O)    )   )  ) ) )))))))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty                                  SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
billb@eskimo.com                                  http://www.amasci.com
EE/programmer/sci-exhibits          science projects, tesla, weird science
Seattle, WA   206-781-3320          freenrg-L taoshum-L vortex-L webhead-L