Re: Email Virus

Chris Hind (chind@juno.com)
Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:57:00 -0800

>>>But it is nothing more than data until your computer actually runs it
>>>AS an executable file. A virus can't infect your computer without
>>>being run by your computer.
>>
>>So (given that we're talking DOS), the person attaches a virus called
>>"DIR.EXE", right? Pretty simple.
>
>If your mail reader doesn't tell you that you've received the
>attachment, and if receiving an attachment called DIR.EXE doesn't
>rouse your suspicions, and if you save it to a directory on your path
>or call it from the directory you've saved it to then yes, pretty
>simple. ;)

Won't work because builtin commands such as 'dir' are run before any
executables so this approach wouldn't work and besides, most people running
windows don't tinker in dos anyways so that would limit the spread to
people who actually use dos.