A small virus tip

[bob999]

Hi ,

Something i read...

go to address book and press ' enter address'.

for first name , type in virus-trap...second name , nothing.

email address : <virus-trap.

prompt : invalid email address ...do you still want to add ?

type : yes.

if virus infects your computer and sends itself out to all your address list then hopefully a> it wont send out or b> it will give you error message that it could not send out to <virus-trap.


So you know what happened .

[Croc]

This may work in some instances. Don't rely on it to advise you about ALL virus entries to your system.

A similar method involved the placing of "!!!000" or "!!!aaaa" (w/out the " ") in the same fashion.

With the sofistication of the email virus, it can randomly select the addresses it sends to from your address book. Because this address will sit at the top of the book, it may not be picked.

Not only that, but by the time you receive the notification that the email to that address did not get through, all the other addresses have already received a copy. It does not cause the other addresses to have protection by being down the list.

A search of some of the AV sites will suggest this method is a hoax. Don't be worried though. I've posted the same thing and so have others here. In fact, I still have the address listed in my address book. LOL

Hope this helps.

Croc.

[blebs]

Croc is correct. It is very limited in working the way it's intended, so it should NOT be relied upon. For the most part, it does not work.

[bob999]

I completely agree. This small tip should not be the only protection standing between you and a nasty virus !

It is just a small part of it which may , at the least ,alert you to the fact that your address book has been accessed.

[thesuperstar]

updated your AV.

F-SECURE is what i use.

[ColdFusion]

yah and alot of virus coders now know about the trick of reading the !!! at the top of your list ... so they usually skip the first one ... and once you actually recieve the email (like croc said) chances are that everyoen in your book has already been emailed ... and you cant stop it.