Spam Filter ISP Forums : zipped excel spam

zipped excel spam : If you save a msg with an attachment,...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:04:15 +0000

Author: Stupid
Subject: 6166
Posted: 31 July 2007 at 3:04pm

If you save a msg with an attachment, then attach that msg as an attachment, it will go through.

sgeorge wrote:

Thanks, that looks like a very handy tool, I will test that out. I usually test for eicar in a few formats, but haven't encountered a tool with such a variety of tests. Nice

Stephen

zipped excel spam : Thanks, that looks like a very...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:22:01 +0000

Author: sgeorge
Subject: 6166
Posted: 31 July 2007 at 2:22pm

Thanks, that looks like a very handy tool, I will test that out. I usually test for eicar in a few formats, but haven't encountered a tool with such a variety of tests. Nice

Stephen

zipped excel spam : Because in some rare cases,...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:11:41 +0000

Author: Stupid
Subject: 6166
Posted: 31 July 2007 at 2:11pm

Because in some rare cases, SPI lets some attachments through.

Try this:

http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/

Disclaimer: I don't work for GFI or sell their products. I am just a user who likes their products.

Edited by Stupid

zipped excel spam : I don't think I understand...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:12:05 +0000

Author: sgeorge
Subject: 6166
Posted: 31 July 2007 at 1:12pm

I don't think I understand why you have added additional layers in order to block executables. SpamFilter is capable blocking any pattern of attachments.

I too manage email for an organization, not an entire ISP, so my attachment policy can afford to be more safe and restrictive. If it's handy, here are all the attachments that I block using SpamFilter:

*.ade
*.adp
*.bas
*.bat
*.chm
*.cmd
*.com
*.cpl
*.crt
*.exe
*.hlp
*.hqx
*.hta
*.inf
*.ins
*.isp
*.js
*.jse
*.lnk
*.mde
*.msc
*.msi
*.msp
*.mst
*.pcd
*.pif
*.reg
*.scr
*.sct
*.shs
*.url
*.uue
*.vb
*.vbe
*.vbs
*.wsc
*.wsf
*.wsh
*.zip

-Stephen

zipped excel spam : Don't think we can quarantine...

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:46:04 +0000

Author: Stupid
Subject: 6166
Posted: 31 July 2007 at 12:46pm

Don't think we can quarantine attachment based on file type.

Quarantine all executable files is of great risk to me. I actually another 2 lays to catch any executables that may slip through.

If someone wants to send me zip file, I just tell them to rename it to zzz instead of zip.

I really depends. I am running a company, not an ISP which may have very different need on how to satisfy customers and cannot be so restrictive.

For example, Yahoo does not filter our all executables, if I get infected, that would be my problem. However, if my user get infected, that would be my problem because I am not an ISP.

mbrusl wrote:

Stupid wrote:

Why not just block *.zip? I block all emails with any executable or audio/video or compressed file.

You may not want to go to this extreme, but blocking zip file is a good practice.

What happens when you need to receive a zip file or some other format from someone and your blocking it? Thats why I quarantine them instead. But then again, I also scan all emails as it enters the gateway.

Michael

zipped excel spam : Stupid wrote:Why not just...

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:01:26 +0000

Author: mbrusl
Subject: 6166
Posted: 30 July 2007 at 12:01pm

zipped excel spam : Why not just block *.zip? I block...

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:50:37 +0000

Author: Stupid
Subject: 6166
Posted: 30 July 2007 at 10:50am

Why not just block *.zip? I block all emails with any executable or audio/video or compressed file.

You may not want to go to this extreme, but blocking zip file is a good practice.

zipped excel spam : We're beta testing a new...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 23:17:12 +0000

Author: LogSat
Subject: 6166
Posted: 29 July 2007 at 11:17pm

We're beta testing a new build which is doing exactly what Thermo suggested. If testing goes well, we'll be releasing it publicly within a few days. Please contact us by email if you wish to test it (licensed users only). Please also include your order number in the email.

The change replaces the option in the SpamFilter.ini file introduced with build 700 (BlockBlankEmailsWithPDFAttachments) with the following:

;SpamFilter can block emails that contain only an empty, blank body and one of the following attachment. Clear the list if you don't want to stop such emails. Specify multiple attachments separated by commas
BlockBlankEmailsWithAttachments=*.pdf

zipped excel spam : I am seeing these, email body...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:14:03 +0000

Author: Thermo
Subject: 6166
Posted: 29 July 2007 at 8:14pm

I am seeing these, email body is blank as well. This update is in the latest version, maybe it could be made to handle other attachment types with blank email bodies? We could specify the attachment types or use a wildcard for any type.

Thermo

{TODO -cNew : SpamFilter will now block emails that contain an empty, blank body and also a PDF attachment, the new setting in the .ini file is on by default: BlockBlankEmailsWithPDFAttachments=true}

zipped excel spam : Hi,Anyone else getting excel spreadsheets...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:18:55 +0000

Author: ImInAfrica
Subject: 6166
Posted: 29 July 2007 at 11:18am

Hi,
Anyone else getting excel spreadsheets inside a zip file, which is stock spam?

BIG red letters:

Turn $10,000 into $40,000
INVEST IN EXCHANGE MOBILE (OTC: EXMT)