I hate to say this, but it really depends on the AV product you are using
and the system environment. It's important to remember that viruses will
not infect your system if they are not executed. With this in mind, ensure
your system is not configured to automatically open .DOC or .XLS e-mail
attachments. Obviously, you wouldn't want to execute a program received as
an attachment either, unless it has been checked for viruses.
I'm not aware of any commercial AV product that will scan encoded files.
These must first be unencoded and then scanned for viruses. Several
commercial products (Dr Solomon's and F-Prot Professional for example) will
scan zipped files. If you are using an AV product that doesn't provide this
functionality, you will have to unzip the .ZIP file and then scan.
Sorry... not familiar with PC-Yarn so I can't address that aspect of your
question. In general though, I believe a typical PC user can accomplish the
above tasks in a safe manner, without infecting his or her system. The key
is TRAINING. If an organization's users are provided the necessary training
and given the appropriate tools, coupled with GOOD, current AV software,
there isn't any reason to believe that the organization can't significantly
reduce it's risk of virus infection.
I hope that answers your questions. Please feel free to ask others in the
furture.
Cheers,
Dave
At 10:41 AM 7/21/97 -0400, R. R. Ronkin wrote:
>Dave Carothers is quoted in the Wash Tech section of today's Washington
>Post as follows:
>
>"Don't open any file attached to e-mail, from anyone, without first
>scanning the file using a good, current, anti-viral product."
>
>To follow his advice, should scanning be applied to the attachment
>before it is decoded from Mime, before the decoded attachment is
>unZIPped, or after it is unZIPped? And can PC-Yarn be configured to do
>this?
>
>Thanks for your comments.
>
>Rafe Ronkin
>rronkin@cpcug.org
>
>
Dave
Any ideas you might think you find in this message are mine; any resemblance
to ideas of anyone else--real, imaginary, living, dead, employer, coworker,
friend, enemy, neighbor, spouse, pet, family member, insect, microorganism,
or potted plant--is purely coincidental and highly unlikely.