Lousy E-mail Filters Complicating Outlook Worms

Mar writes "FRISK Software founder Fridrik Skulason has issued an open letter in which he blames other anti-virus companies for much of the Sobig.F network load problems: 'If mail filters send out one message for every copy of Sobig.F received, they are in effect doubling the amount of traffic. This makes them a part of the problem, not a part of the solution.'"

Comments

This is so true

[blunte]

Our Norton Exchange AV kicks out "we-saved-your-butt" emails to the admin, the original recip, and back at the "sender", who of course knows nothing about it since it was forged.

I've just been creating more and more filters that send to trash with no notification to anyone.

Of course, you have to pay attention when you first turn some of the capabilities on, as Norton kindly preset you to block AOL mail :) Serves AOL right...

Re:This is so true

[toddestan]

Maybe I should configure an autoresponder that responds to the message from Norton AV that tells the person how to turn off the autoresponse?

*ducks*

Re:This is so true

[xanadu-xtroot.com]

Must
Consult
Someone
Else

Microsoft EULA Security Update enclosed:

[Anonymous Coward]

Critical Update:

A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Microsoft Windows and install Linux on it. You can help protect your computer by installing this EULA from Microsoft. After you install this EULA, a NULL update will be downloaded for your benefit.

Re:Yes, virus bounces suck

[Xzzy]

I must have really smart friends, because I didn't get a single bounce! /preen

Or maybe I just have no friends. /sigh

Speaking of bad email filters...

[Anonymous Coward]

We have Mail Marshall here at work. I got the following mail from the system yesterday...

MailMarshal (an automated content monitoring gateway) has stopped the following email for the following reason:

It believes it may contain unacceptable language, or inappropriate material.

Message: B000038072.00000001.mml
From: xxx@xxx.com
To: xxx@xxx.com
Subject: Re: So Whuz Up?

Please remove any inappropriate language and send it again.

The blocked email will be automatically deleted after 5 days.

MailMarshal Rule: Inbound Messages : Block Unacceptable Language Script Offensive Language (Basic) Triggered
Expression: asshole Triggered 1 times weighting 5


Email security by MailMarshal from Marshal Software.

So the message tells both the ortiginal sender and I that it won't deliver the email because it contains the term "asshole". So it lets me know that by sending me an email telling me the exact same word that was supposed to be filtered? It seems like we've got a hypocrytical mail filter here :(

marketing loves notices

[Anonymous Coward]

Marketing guys love email notices because it raises awareness that the product is working. This is independent of it being a good idea.

Re:Yes, virus bounces suck

[i.r.id10t]

Same boat... do I get happy because no one is sending the virus to me, or do I get depressed because I'm not in anyones contact list?

Re:But still less...

[Lars T.]

Since many even return the offending atachment - they are knowingly spreading the virus. Which makes them terrorists.

Re:But still less...

[AKnightCowboy]

Were the architects of the common Internet mail utilities just plain stupid? What other conclusion can possibly be drawn? Who taught these epsilon-minus lackwits to use a computer, and why?

Why don't you go ask him:

SIMPLE MAIL TRANSFER PROTOCOL
Jonathan B. Postel
August 1982
Information Sciences Institute
University of Southern California
4676 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, California 90291
(213) 822-1511

I'm sure many of us would love it if you met up with him and had a spirited debate about the issue very soon.

Did you ever stop to think that many of the Internet's protocols were designed when there were no fuckwits running operating systems that are a virtual "petri dish" for viruses and worms?