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GMail Adds Virus Protection

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the google-farts-and-people-smell dept.

AxsDeny writes "Google has rolled out virus protection for it's web based email service. Apparently they are scanning incoming and outgoing messages for infected messages. Read more on their "what's new" page."

17 of 355 comments (clear)

  1. Final Straw! by fembots · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's it, that's EVIL and I'm quitting GMail now!

    GMail has been my faithful virus depository, now where can I go today? HoTMaiL?

    I wish it gives users the option to still retrieve the virus if they insist.

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
    1. Re:Final Straw! by TubeSteak · · Score: 4, Funny

      (email not shown publicly)
      you forgot to give us your e-mail address.

      I've got this great virus you can add to your collection. It's called W32.Goatse@cx

      It's pretty original, the virus masquerades as a JPEG and when you open it in your e-mail, it makes you go blind. ...Lightyears ahead of the competition

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    2. Re:Final Straw! by MadJo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sony has the answer for you
      $sys$virus.exe

      will make it invisible for any AV program.

      --
      80 CC D8 AF AE D3 AB 54 B7 2E CE 67 C7
  2. Hotmail has integrated this for years... by the+computer+guy+nex · · Score: 3, Funny

    .. can we say Google is now replicating? :)

  3. NO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not on the same day MS starts beta testing their anti-virus solution.

    I'm gonna fucking kill this guy, I did it before and I'll do it again, I'm gonna fucking kill google!

    Where's a chair?

  4. but but but... by ellem · · Score: 5, Funny


    I use GMail on OS X so I don't need it...
    </sarcasm>

    --
    This .sig is fake but accurate.
  5. Re:"it's"? by NanoGator · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Oh come on... Why keep up the pretence of being 'editors' if you don't even fix stupid mistakes like it's versus its?"

    I was all excited about the virus protection in GMail until you pointed that out.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  6. Nice, I suppose, if you get a lot of them. by tgd · · Score: 3, Funny

    I've got 10k+ e-mails in my gmail account, though, and I don't think any have any virus-laden attachments, though.

    What I really want is a "yes, I'm unilingual, I speak English and if an e-mail isn't in English, its spam" setting.

    1. Re:Nice, I suppose, if you get a lot of them. by Nezzari · · Score: 5, Funny

      Que?

  7. Re:So what? by NineNine · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're right. I'm wrong. I'm a bad Slashdotter. Here's my revised post:

    GMail has virus protection?!? Wow! That's so innovative! They've done everything else perfectly, and now they've ended email-based viruses! M$ and Yahoo both suck! Google rocks! Thanks, Google!

  8. What? Can't they index virii? by Wellspring · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is a natural outgrowth of the fact that they can't effectively index virii.

    Therefore, they must be destroyed.

  9. Virus-Targetted Advertising by Jherek+Carnelian · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does this mean Google will be targetting their advertising based on the kind and number of viruses they filter out?

    For people who get a lot of viruses, they can advertise privacy tools, anti-virus software and adware removers.
    For people who do not get a lot of viruses, they get to see ads for social networks, dating sites, etc.

  10. hotmail by dioscaido · · Score: 3, Funny

    following the trend for MS, it looks like hotmail is copying gmail and checking for viruses as well. :)

  11. Re:"it's"? by errxn · · Score: 3, Funny

    In a related story, editors at the popular tech website Slashdot today launched a major new development initiative, the aim of which is to create a groundbreaking new piece of vaporware known as "Dupe and Grammar Protection." The project, codenamed "HellFreeze", is currently slated to launch shortly after the Apocalypse.

    --
    In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.
  12. great, now I don't need norton by Surt · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll just write a program to email myself every file on my hard drive and see what fails, or maybe use that gmail as file system thingy.

    --
    "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
  13. Re:but what powers it? by geekoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    and 80% of statistics are made up on the fly.

    I can think of many legitimate reasons for sending programs that execute something.
    Movies, pictures, sounds, etc...

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  14. Google Ads by ramrom · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will I get ads based on the Virus ???