[Dialogue] Virus reported under my name

[Tim Wegner]

David wrote:

> Notice:  I don't know what this means.  Just a few minutes ago I
> received a message from:  root at isis.now2000.com that "a virus was
> found in an email I sent".  Trouble is that I never sent any message
> to mansel at orland.com.  Don't even know this address.
> 
> Virus is reported to be W32/Netsky.P at mm

First, let me very gently suggest that the topic of viruses is best 
considered off topic for this list. Most online virus discussions 
fall prey to the "False Authority Syndrome" (see 
http://www.vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm)

But since the subject has come up, with some reluctance I'll violate 
my own suggestion and respond. But please, let's NOT continue this 
virus thread. Email me personally if you have a comment or question 
about viruses. And remember, I am not an authority on viruses 
either!!

The nature of many current "viruses" is that they exploit outlook 
address books of infected computers. What happened here (most likely) 
is that someone whose computer was infected and who had David's email 
in their address book sent out a message, and forged the return 
address as David's. A virus filter detected it and bounced the 
message to David. I have seen dozens of these myself, and I am quite 
sure that my computer is not infected (I don't use outlook, I don't 
click on attachments, and I have good on-the-fly virus detection, and 
regularly scan my system).

 > Tim, David or anyone else.  This is new since the changeover.  A
> couple of my emails have been returned. 

This is almost certainly a coincidence.

If you see something you think is bad list behavior, please forward 
the bounced email to me personally or email dialogue-
owner at wedgeblade.net, in which case all the list owners will see it. 
Generally you should not see bounced emails for posts sent to the 
list unless you also sent the email directly to a person.

Tim Wegner