BEE-L is about bees, and we normally expect members to get virus info form
the many, many free sources elsewhere on the net. Virus discussions are
outside the mandate of this list, however, in light of recent attacks,some
limited comments are appropriate in order to warn list members of serious
dangers on the internet these days.

As moderators, we often receive viruses sent in email to the list (along
with SPAM), but they are obvious and we simply delete them.  Unless one of
us screws up and fails to see one, you should be safe. And if you are
properly protected (see below) you would not have a problem.

As far as receiving viruses from BEE-L itself, we saw this potential a long
time ago, and this is one of the reasons we became a moderated list. Other
lists have sent along viruses to users, but BEE-L has not.  We set BEE-L to
be text-only many years ago, and refuse all binaries or scripts.  As a
result, you should never get a virus from BEE-L, unless somehow the LISTSERV
itself becomes corrupted.  This eventuality appears extremely improbable at
present.  Nonetheless, it is essential that all users of the internet, have
both a firewall and an up-to-date virus checker.

Recommended software:

My personal firewall preference is Zone Alarm.  It is a free download at
http://www.zonelabs.com/ for personal use.  It is simply the best available,
and simple to use.  Don't trust the firewall built into Windows XP.  It, and
many others out, there simply won't do the trick.

My personal anti-virus is currently AVG.  A personal version is available as
a free download from from http://www.grisoft.com/ and it can be set to
update automatically or updated manually (for free) over the net whenever
you like.  I do so once or twice daily.

This note is not meant to open the floodgates for virus discussion on BEE-L.
Virus topic emails will not be passed on to the list.  I will, however,
personally summarise any useful suggestions sent to the list or to me
personally in the next few days and pass them on to readers in a single
summary -- if worthwhile.

Thanks to all and any who wrote to warn us.

allen
[log in to unmask]

http://www.internode.net/honeybee/diary/