Re: Remotely deployable spyware

From: Kent W. England [MVP] (kwe@mvps.org)
Date: 01/04/03 

From: "Kent W. England [MVP]" <kwe@mvps.org>
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 09:08:32 -0800

If your Windows and Outlook Express email reader is up to date with
security patches, you can't install spyware without a user action. In
the latest releases of OE6 you can "read messages in plain text" and
disable all of the scripting badness as well. If you use a limited
account, much spyware is thwarted, even if you click.

This ISPYNOW technique assumes appropriate alluring content in the
message to get the idiot who reads the email to click on the attachment.
One of the most common viruses out there is entirely text. It persuades
folks to delete their Microsoft Java debugger and then gets them to
worry about whether they should have done so (when it doesn't matter one
way or the other :-). I don't see why you couldn't create a text virus
to convince a lot of users to setup Remote Assistance to allow you to
monitor their desktop whenever you want and convince their friends to do
the same. 

-- 
Kent W. England, MS MVP for Windows XP
(Please respond only in the newsgroup)
"Alan" <aep2002@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:0a5701c2b38b$f674a1e0$8df82ecf@TK2MSFTNGXA02...
> My question is about the capability of products like
> ISPYNOW which claim easy remote installation on any
> computer in the world by sending a simple e-mail message.
> Is this possible? Or do all spyware programs and any such
> monitors require the user to execute a file? I'm so
> confused. Please help

Relevant Pages

  • Re: remotely accessed emails
    ... | installing one of those spy softwares that sends them my emails? ... Syware wouln't monitor your email, ... Spyware Blaster ... There are rogue anti spywarer applications. ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: remotely accessed emails
    ... disk in your computer and downloads a "hidden" program to monitor your ... > | installing one of those spy softwares that sends them my emails? ... > Spyware Blaster ... > There are rogue anti spywarer applications. ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Desktop Freezes after installing SP2
    ... Service Pack 2, and I even went to the point of un-installing all spyware, ... anti-virus, etc., the machines locks up after being left idle for awhile. ... I removed SP2, and the machine once ... the monitor is in power save, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment)
  • Re: Modeles dialog box
    ... Spyware Doctor program I run at home*. ... think a developer would spot it during testing. ... will still center the windows properly on the primary monitor. ...
    (microsoft.public.vc.mfc)
  • Re: something downloading to hard drive constantly
    ... a program to monitor my downloads and lately I noticed that there is a ... small amount but steady. ... spyware but have run 4 programs with 2 of them ... If this just started after you installed some download monitor (a name ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)