[3102] in WWW Security List Archive
Re: New and destructive word macro virus
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jerry Hinek)
Fri Sep 27 12:00:38 1996
Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 07:03:13 -0700
To: www-security@ns2.rutgers.edu
From: gjhinek@PacBell.com (Jerry Hinek)
Errors-To: owner-www-security@ns2.rutgers.edu
>I don't think macro
>virus postings are inappropriate here, since Word docs are frequently
>obtainable through websites.
>
>Regards.
>Bill
I just have to agree with Bill. One of the most pervasive threats over the
web comes from new and very destructive cross-platform macro viruses. This
list is not titled web-server-security. It's also not titled
UNIX-server-security.
I don't think we should discuss each and every one of the new viruses that
may pass as an e-mail attachment or a web page download, but perhaps we
could examine the efficacy of ways of dealing with the problem.
Can we protect our organizations from destructive macro viruses at the firewall?
Can we educate our users in how to protect themselves?
Shouldn't we educate ourselves about the problem?
Should this be up to the users to protect themselves on their own workstations?
I see the problems here at work. People have to waste a lot of time dealing
with macro viruses that are epidemic. I have to believe that the problem is
present in schools and universities, in national defense installations, in
non-profit organizations wherever people are connected to the net and trying
to work. Macro viruses are a WWW-security problem because the web is
available as a medium to spread these viruses. Previous viruses weren't
spread the same way. Boot infecting viruses can't happen across the web.
Macro viruses spread like wild fire across the web.
While I'm on my soap box, let everyone know, there is no "Good Times" e-mail
virus. It was proven to be a hoax years ago, but I still get several alerts
a month from well intentioned people that I shouldn't open any e-mail
message with a subject of "Good Times." It's a hoax.
=======================================
Jerry Hinek, Senior Security Specialist
Pacific Bell
2600 Camino Ramon Room 3CN10
San Ramon, CA 94583
(510) 823-2246
gjhinek@pacbell.com
PB1(GJHINEK) from PROFS
