Should I keep blocking images??

[mb]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

With the new SP2 upgrade, many of my emails have blocked images. I then have
to click to load the images.

I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html content
in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but my question
is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm and AVG.

Mel

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote:
>I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html content
>in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but my question
>is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm and AVG.

Images or HTML that go out to the internet to be resolved can 'leak'
information about valid Email addresses back to spammers. In
addition, images, HTML, and other non-text stuff can be used for
delivering mal-ware to your computer. I'd leave it blocked and only
click to receive those things from people you know, and only then with
care (and a good virus scanner).

 

[ted]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote in message news:10judbv1hsu3r04@corp.supernews.com...
> With the new SP2 upgrade, many of my emails have blocked images. I then have
> to click to load the images.
>
> I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html content
> in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but my question
> is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm and AVG.

At a minimum, you'll be opening yourself up to web bug based
exploits: email address verification, IP address determination, and
email read confirmation.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Not if you are careful about what attachments you open.

"MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote in message
news:10judbv1hsu3r04@corp.supernews.com...
> With the new SP2 upgrade, many of my emails have blocked images. I then
have
> to click to load the images.
>
> I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html content
> in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but my
question
> is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm and AVG.
>
> Mel
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Ted" <nothanks@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:413f3e6b$0$6911$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...
>
> "MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote in message
> news:10judbv1hsu3r04@corp.supernews.com...
>> With the new SP2 upgrade, many of my emails have blocked images. I then
>> have to click to load the images.
>>
>> I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html
>> content in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but
>> my question is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm
>> and AVG.
>
> At a minimum, you'll be opening yourself up to web bug based
> exploits: email address verification, IP address determination, and
> email read confirmation.

The point here is that if you enable the images, spam senders will be able
to tell:
1) That you've read their spam.
2) That your email address is active.

If you're not concerned about this, then go ahead and enable the images.
Probably the worst thing that could happen is you might get more spam.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

For the future, I would recommend when joining newsletters and other sites, if they give you an option to have messages sent in Plain Text, then choose that. For your current newsletters and other sites that you receive, see in your membership settings to change email sent to you, to Plain Text.

--

Rich/rerat

(RRR News) <message rule>
<<Previous Text Snipped to Save Bandwidth When Appropriate>>



"Eddie Aftandilian" <aftandilian@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:CjH%c.132726$9d6.73839@attbi_s54...
"Ted" <nothanks@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:413f3e6b$0$6911$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...
>
> "MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote in message
> news:10judbv1hsu3r04@corp.supernews.com...
The point here is that if you enable the images, spam senders will be able
to tell:
1) That you've read their spam.
2) That your email address is active.

If you're not concerned about this, then go ahead and enable the images.
Probably the worst thing that could happen is you might get more spam.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Eddie Aftandilian" <aftandilian@hotmail.com> wrote:
>If you're not concerned about this, then go ahead and enable the images.
>Probably the worst thing that could happen is you might get more spam.

Because (email) data couldn't possibly be executed? Because malware
couldn't be hidden in the HTML?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I have two hotmail addresses that I use and have never received spam in
either account. I do not block images. I subscribe to many newsletters and
would not want to block the images - it would be too boring. Try reading
the newspaper if it had no photos.. You can only stick your head in the
sand for so long.

A little common sense goes a long way toward avoiding spam and malware.


<William P.N. Smith> wrote in message
news:g4euj0pobgl3p5k0sjqspvm3jrbltvcggi@4ax.com...
> "MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> wrote:
> >I see that one of the checked settings is to block images and html
content
> >in emails. Frankly, that's a pain. I intend to uncheck that, but my
question
> >is: am I creating major potential problems?? I use ZoneAlarm and AVG.
>
> Images or HTML that go out to the internet to be resolved can 'leak'
> information about valid Email addresses back to spammers. In
> addition, images, HTML, and other non-text stuff can be used for
> delivering mal-ware to your computer. I'd leave it blocked and only
> click to receive those things from people you know, and only then with
> care (and a good virus scanner).
>

 

[ted]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:bqK%c.17946$Y07.13472@newssvr22.news.prodigy.com...
>I have two hotmail addresses that I use and have never received spam in
> either account. I do not block images.

Glad to hear it. But nevertheless, web bugging marketing related
email has been a fairly common practice, be it sent by spammers or
opt-in marketers. Now many, and in my experience most, such
senders don't do it. But it is done, and most users don't even
realize it for they don't understand the mechanism and/or the token
embedded in the URL isn't readily apparent. Is there a unique
token in:

http://www.example.com/images/imgnum195809348.jpg ?

Maybe the image number is simply an image number. Maybe it is
a unique number identifying the recipient and all such URLs map to
the same image. Hard to tell.

> I subscribe to many newsletters and
> would not want to block the images - it would be too boring. Try
> reading the newspaper if it had no photos.

Indeed, it is up to the user to weigh the pros and cons of blocking
html content, images, etc. Are they willing to put up with some
additional, potentially annoying things in order to maximize their
security and/or privacy? Some are, some aren't.

Personally, I prefer to lock down OE... all messages read as plain
text, potentially harmfull attachment blocking turned on, image &
external html content blocking turned on, read receipts turned off,
etc. But then 99% of the legitimate email I receive is plain text,
and the remaining 1% is infrequent enough that I don't mind
the special handling.

BTW, is nospam@hotmail.com your email address or one that
hotmail has set up for the specific purpose of acquiring samples
of spam? Or were you just looking to put something in there
that wasn't your real email address?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

> You can only stick your head in the sand for so long

....before you realise email was designed to be a plain text format only,
and the sooner it returns to this medium the safer the internet will be ?

Any website that requires an account of any sort should be obliged to use
plain text only.

An additional advantage of plain text would be that it would make all web
links clearly visible. The use of tracking devices would soon raise a lot
of suspicion, hopefully forcing some transparency into their sales
tactics.

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Colin Wilson wrote:
>
> > You can only stick your head in the sand for so long
>
> ...before you realise email was designed to be a plain text format only,
> and the sooner it returns to this medium the safer the internet will be ?
>
> Any website that requires an account of any sort should be obliged to use
> plain text only.
>
> An additional advantage of plain text would be that it would make all web
> links clearly visible. The use of tracking devices would soon raise a lot
> of suspicion, hopefully forcing some transparency into their sales
> tactics.

Your idea is fine, but more geared towards the computer literate...
The lay person would rather see nice graphics than a secure, plain
text page.

Notan

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Colin Wilson <void@btinternet.com> wrote:

>> You can only stick your head in the sand for so long

>...before you realise email was designed to be a plain text format only,
>and the sooner it returns to this medium the safer the internet will be ?
>
>Any website that requires an account of any sort should be obliged to use
>plain text only.

Staying out of the HTML in email yea?/nay? part of the thread, I
will just throw in this FWIW. In 2/3s - 3/4s of the cases where
I have ticked the "go ahead and send me email on *your* stuff"
box on one of my online store accounts, the email I get is
dual-formatted. That is, if I activated the display of HTML in
Eudora, I would see HTML. Since I don't, the email contains
enough plain text to describe and provide links to the "deals" or
whatever on the vendor's web site where I can go if I want
further info on the "deals" or whatever.

Best of both worlds. If a vendor *doesn't* do the dual format
thing and sticks with straight HTML, I eventually get around to
taking myself of their mailing list. I suspect I am not alone in
that, since in my subjective and highly unscientific observation,
I am seeing more and more of that dual formatting in vendors'
advertising email.
--
OJ III
[Email to Yahoo address may be burned before reading.
Lower and crunch the sig and you'll net me at comcast.]