Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on June 26, 2003 11:13 PM
.pif is especially nasty. Also, Outlook is bad about not showing the extension in the filename is something like "grandson.jpg.pif". Plus, some of the malicious attachments specify a safe content-type like audio/x-wave, but it is really an executable. Outhouse is too stupid to ignore the filename spec (with the MIME RFC's should only be used for informative purposes).
I agree that requiring users to know every extension type under the sun is ridiculous. Also, MS has gotten in the habit of hiding extensions from users anyway (by default) and using icons to imply type (check the file explorer options and how showing extensions can be disabled).
BTW, let's not forget all the virus that have spread without a user even having to open up an attachment. Some have spread just by previewing the message.
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Re:Blaming Outlook
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on June 26, 2003 11:13 PMI agree that requiring users to know every extension type under the sun is ridiculous. Also, MS has gotten in the habit of hiding extensions from users anyway (by default) and using icons to imply type (check the file explorer options and how showing extensions can be disabled).
BTW, let's not forget all the virus that have spread without a user even having to open up an attachment. Some have spread just by previewing the message.
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