On Mon, 19 Aug 1996, Christopher R. Hertel wrote:
> : Not true. You can't get a virus from reading an email message.
>
> Actually, that depends upon your E'mail system. Microsoft mail allows
> you to send macros along with messages. These macros are automatically
> run when the message is read. I have first-hand experience with a
> "virus" (actually, a destructive macro) that was transmitted this way.
>
> ...but that's a hole in Microsoft mail. Obviously, this kind of thing
> could not be done via the standard Unix mail system (unless you had a
> MIME-aware mail reader that was willing to run Java code for you...
> Oooops!)
Actually...
I don't use emacs for email, but apparently its mail reader uses the emacs
"enable-local-variables" feature. And, apparently, some mischief can be
done by this mechanism. This feature is disabled with
(setq enable-local-variables nil)
or
(setq enable-local-variables 1)
The later causes it to query you if local variables exist.
Perhaps someone on the list is more familiar with this issue and emacs
mail.
...RickM...
