Possible corrupt tnef binary in MailScanner 2.40

[Julian Field]

Release date: 29/08/2001

Introduction
============
This only affects you if you are running MailScanner on Linux or Solaris.

I have just discovered, from my own checking, that some of you may have a
corrupt copy of the pre-built Linux or Solaris "tnef" binary that was
distributed as part of MailScanner 2.40. I don't believe the problem
applies to other versions, but it is worth checking your installation never
the less.

Background
==========
The "tnef" program is used to unpack "Microsoft Outlook Rich Text Format"
email attachments, and I distribute pre-compiled Linux and Solaris binaries
along with the original source to ease installation.

Impact
======
MailScanner would not have been unpacking "Microsoft Outlook Rich Text
Format" email attachments or checking their contents. This format is
proprietary and can only be read by Microsoft Outlook, and is therefore not
widely used: most people use "Plain Text Format" or "HTML Format" instead
as these can be read by other mail clients. The author is not aware of any
email worms or virii that explicitly use this proprietary format.

Test
====
I suggest you test your current "tnef" program by doing the following:
        cd /usr/local/MailScanner/bin (or /opt/mailscanner/bin depending on where
you have installed MailScanner)
        ./tnef --help

This should produce the "tnef" command help message. If it does, your copy
is okay and you need take no action.

If it does not produce the help message, then please download a fresh copy
of "tnef" from the links below.

Solution
========
I have placed copies (which I have just checked) of the Solaris and Linux
"tnef" binaries at the following URL's:
        http://www.sng.ecs.soton.ac.uk/mailscanner/files/tnef.linux
        http://www.sng.ecs.soton.ac.uk/mailscanner/files/tnef.solaris
Please download the appropriate binary for your operating system and
replace your original copy of "tnef" with this. Once you have replaced the
file, check you have execute permissions set (type the command "chmod +x
tnef*" while in the MailScanner bin directory to make sure).

If you redo the test above, you should now get the help message.

Alternatively, you can always rebuild your own "tnef" binary from the
source, a copy of which you should also find in the MailScanner bin directory.

Comments
========
This issue will be fixed in the next version, 2.41 which is a minor feature
release and is due out shortly.

Many apologies to everyone for this mistake on my part. I will endeavour to
check distributions much more carefully in future!
--
Julian Field                Teaching Systems Manager
jkf at ecs.soton.ac.uk         Dept. of Electronics & Computer Science
Tel. 023 8059 2817          University of Southampton
                             Southampton SO17 1BJ