New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

system · October 29, 2002, 1:34pm

And considering that it was email to the whole group from several people who
have "Vantage" as an email contact it sort of became a "Vantage" issue.
Vantage"at"yahoogroups is not that hard to type and not having it as a
contact helps prevent distribution to a large number of addresses if a bug
(or link) gets activated. IMHO.
-Todd C.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:45 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

Yes it is, a Vantage forum. mild user venting is ok.

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Lukomski [mailto:phil.lukomski@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:02 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

Isn't this a Vantage forum?

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 8:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

system · October 29, 2002, 9:29am

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared. All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

system · October 29, 2002, 10:33am

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

system · October 29, 2002, 11:04am

Isn't this a Vantage forum?

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 8:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

system · October 29, 2002, 11:13am

How do you REALLY feel Shirley?

:-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 8:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last
week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.>
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages>
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links>

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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ADVERTISEMENT

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(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.>
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages>
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links>

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

system · October 29, 2002, 11:26am

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

:-)

Jim Carnes
IS Administrator
Kenlee Precision Corporation
1700 Morrell Park Ave
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-525-3800 x132
jcarnes@...

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last
week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
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Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

system · October 29, 2002, 11:33am

You're right Todd. That's what is so difficult in dealing with women. They do not express their feelings. You never know where they're coming from. Men on the other hand
always express their deep heart felt emotions. We are especially gifted at it when dealing with other men and our spouses.

Marty Kuphall
Controller
Ultra Tool & Mfg., Inc.

Ph. 262-703-0455
Fx. 262-703-0468

marty.kuphall@...

Todd Anderson wrote:

> How do you REALLY feel Shirley?
>
> :-)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 8:40 AM
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last
> week
>
> I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
> their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
> how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
> being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
> Afganistan and brick it up
>
> Shirley
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
> To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
> Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week
>
> E-mail greeting card hides porn
> By Jeordan Legon
> Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)
>
> (CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
> appears to be sent by a friend.
>
> But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
> barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
> Outlook's
> address book.
>
> No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
> All
> the user has to do is go to a link.
>
> E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
> tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
> messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
> Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
> download their unwanted programs.
>
> "It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
> consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
> very, very suspicious."
>
> They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
> computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
> Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.
>
> "The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
> antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
> Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."
>
> One e-greeting prompts warning
> There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
> globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
> from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
> Communications
> had taken down the offending site.
>
> The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
> sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
> E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
> friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
> required
> to view some cards."
>
> Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
> unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
> pop-up
> ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
> book to the marketer.
>
> Not doing anything illegal
> The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
> firms
> are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
> viruses,
> but warning users nonetheless.
>
> "It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.
>
> Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
> don't
> recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
> allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
> cause
> a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
> get
> annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
> ActiveX Controls.
>
> But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
> configure your browser to protect yourself."
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
> Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
> have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
> (1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
> Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.>
> (2) To search through old msg's goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages>
> (3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
> <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=237459.2482214.3917349.2146399/D=egroupweb/S=17050071
> 83:HM/A=1267611/R=0/*http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N2524.Yahoo/B1071650;sz=
> 300x250;ord=1035905619047137?>
>
> <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=237459.2482214.3917349.2146399/D=egroupmai
> l/S=:HM/A=1267611/rand=909542476>
>
> Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
> already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
> (1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
> Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.>
> (2) To search through old msg's goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages>
> (3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
> (1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
> (2) To search through old msg's goto: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
> (3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

--

system · October 29, 2002, 11:37am

I'm with ya, Shirley. -Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

system · October 29, 2002, 12:04pm

I nominate Shirley as the next user group liaison to Epicor.

Patrick

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Polvinale [mailto:garyp@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 10:38 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I'm with ya, Shirley. -Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

system · October 29, 2002, 12:23pm

I second that emotion!

-----Original Message-----
From: Winter, Patrick [mailto:pjw@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:04 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I nominate Shirley as the next user group liaison to Epicor.

Patrick

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Polvinale [mailto:garyp@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 10:38 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I'm with ya, Shirley. -Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must
have already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Useful links for the Yahoo!Groups Vantage Board are: ( Note: You must have
already linked your email address to a yahoo id to enable access. )
(1) To access the Files Section of our Yahoo!Group for Report Builder and
Crystal Reports and other 'goodies', please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/files/.
(2) To search through old msg's goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/messages
(3) To view links to Vendors that provide Vantage services goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vantage/links

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

system · October 29, 2002, 12:48pm

Yes it is, a Vantage forum. mild user venting is ok.

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Lukomski [mailto:phil.lukomski@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 11:02 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

Isn't this a Vantage forum?

-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 8:40 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from
last week

I say, some user vigilantism is in order. Track down those pukes, and stuff
their own garbage up the right port. The same for the creep that invented
how to use ADMIN messenger to send garbage to your machine without even
being on the web. Stuff them all in one of the empty caves we bombed in
Afganistan and brick it up

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Anderson [mailto:tanderson@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 9:20 AM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: [Vantage] New story on CNN today about e-card msgs from last week

E-mail greeting card hides porn
By Jeordan Legon
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Posted: 8:54 AM EST (1354 GMT)

(CNN) -- The e-mail looks harmless enough: A link to a greeting card that
appears to be sent by a friend.

But clicking on the link can place porn images on a desktop, download a
barrage of x-rated ads, or send similar e-cards to those listed in
Outlook's
address book.

No downloadable e-mail attachments to install. No infected disks shared.
All
the user has to do is go to a link.

E-mail marketers -- many of them porn sites -- are increasingly borrowing
tactics used by hackers to trick potential customers into seeing their
messages, anti-virus experts say. And often, they use Microsoft's ActiveX
Controls, which are meant to make Web pages more interactive, to instantly
download their unwanted programs.

"It like the boogy man. It's going that way," said Chris Wraight, tech
consultant for anti-virus company Sophos. "You have to be careful and be
very, very suspicious."

They're not viruses or worms, but they are annoying -- modifying a user's
computer in ways they never intended, said Lawrence Baldwin, president of
Internet security firm myNetWatchman.com.

"The general thinking of the average Internet user is that ... by running
antivirus and not downloading executable files, they don't have to worry,"
Baldwin said. "But they're getting a false sense of security."

One e-greeting prompts warning
There are many such direct marketing e-mails making their way around the
globe. One this week elicited enough complaints that it prompted warnings
from anti-virus firms and by Tuesday, Canadian company Cytron
Communications
had taken down the offending site.

The Cytron-enabled e-mail greeting mimicked many legitimate greeting card
sites by including a personalized subject line: "(Recipient) you have an
E-Card from (sender)." Within the message, there was a link to
friendgreetings.com and a small note: "E-card viewer plug-in may be
required
to view some cards."

Those who clicked on the link and accepted the lengthy user agreement
unwittingly downloaded a program that peppered them with porn-filled
pop-up
ads and handed over the e-mail addresses in their Outlook e-mail address
book to the marketer.

Not doing anything illegal
The direct marketer is not doing anything illegal, so many anti-virus
firms
are treading carefully -- not treating such misleading campaigns as
viruses,
but warning users nonetheless.

"It was a gray area... that we have to watch carefully," Wraight said.

Baldwin advises users to avoid clicking on e-mail links to sites they
don't
recognize. And he suggests disabling the Internet Explorer function that
allows browsers to instantly download ActiveX Controls. Doing so will
cause
a warning box to appear anytime such files are encountered, which could
get
annoying because Macromedia Flash, used to create Web animations, uses
ActiveX Controls.

But a little annoyance is worth it in the long run, he said. "You have to
configure your browser to protect yourself."

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