{File Violation} Spanish translations update

[Mike Kercher]

Ugh...I have WAY too many users that can't even spell FTP ...much less use
it!

-----Original Message-----
From: MailScanner mailing list [mailto:MAILSCANNER at JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf
Of Chris Trudeau-Personal
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 9:31 AM
To: MAILSCANNER at JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: {File Violation} Spanish translations update


> In which case, how do you recommend legitimate users send, for 
> example, a .exe file to each other if you block the .exe and also any 
> compressed
archive
> they might put it into?

I suggest to my users that they use FTP, SSH, HTTP or some other means of
providing a file that violates my policy.  If this is not doable for them
and they require exe and archives I allow it and make them request it in
writing.  I have done some in depth statsistical analysis on executables and
archive files.  There are very few of them used, and a LARGE percentage of
those that are used end up infected with a virus.  I simply think it makes
more sense to err on the side of caution.

> My recommendation is to send such things in a password-protected zip, 
> so
that
> there has to be a deliberate action by the recipient to get access to the
> file inside the zip - they can't just open it "by accident".   That won;t
> work if you simply block all zips though.

There are commerical versions of content scanning solutions that will
actually open the archive and scan the contents, which in the case of MIMAIL
would have been enough as its payload was an executable.  Your practice of
allowing password-protection offers half of the solution using these
systems, because the archive has to be encrypted for the contents not to be
viewable to these scanners...thus the archive would have to be
password-protected and encrypted.

In addition, perhaps I allow .zip files...because they can be password
protected...but the one that was sent to the list was neither a .zip OR
password protected...so...again...I prefer to err on the side of caution to
protect my users.

my only point was that a mailing list is likely not the right place to send
archives attached to emails.  Especially one that many people probably have
whitelisted for SPAM anyway.   As I pointed out, I assumed I wasn't the only
user of this list who has archives turned on...and simply advised against
using the list as a distribution point for potentially harmful attachments.

CT

> Antony.
>
> --
>
> This email was created using 100% recycled electrons.