Is it true that yahoo messanger, rediffbol, IP messanger, orkut etc. invite virus 2 a laptop?

HI THERE,





GREETINGS,


ITS A MYTH THAT YAHOO INVITES VIRUS 2 A SYSTEM.


THE THING IS PPL LIKE U N ME CREAT VIRUS THRU PROGRAMME AND TO MARKET THEIR ANTIVIRUS PRODUCTS THEY USE TO SEND MALWARE IN LUCATIVE FORM OF FILES SUCH AS FREE SEX.EXE, GAME.EXE OR IN LOT MANY FORMS.


YAHOO HELP WITH SCANNING TO STOP U DOWNLOADING THAT FILES BUT SOMETIMES OFFER IS THAT MUCH LUCRATIVE U CANT STOP YOURSELF.





ITS UR FAULT NOT OF SERVICE PROVIDER. SCAN MAILS AND ATTACHMENTS BEFORE DOWNLOADINGS


WANA KNOW MORE ON TOPIC http://blogs.ibibo.com/datenfrnship
Is it true that yahoo messanger, rediffbol, IP messanger, orkut etc. invite virus 2 a laptop?
There are precautions that prevent most things.


That is what want to try to answer





General: Potentially these things can bring desaster. BUT the things mentioned do not invite the desaster 2 Your laptop ;) ppl that told You that expressed themselves not really well. You are victimized by malware that is distributed via these ways, guess You understand what i want to say. And You are not all that often victimized via these sources/ways.





Specifically: While some browsers are quite save ( exploits in the wild are only known to IE) some other software such as messengers have been victimized every once in a while.


Further info about application security can be found by searching Secunia advisories (search engine secunia application name).





But getting files is the real risk: with peer to peer sharing software, messengers receiving files, browsers downloading files. ... The received files must be scanned for malware! Mail programs are quite save except Outlook Express: again always scan attachments.





If You just serf the net with a secure browser just to look around a little, it is sufficient to run a firewall. For all other activities You best use a live virus protection additionally to a firewall and You scan all downloads ( except texts, music, pictures and films ) before You open them.





System Explorer settings should be set that You see all file extensions. Else some download like mysexy.jpg.exe looks like a picture and You open a potentially dangerous executable file - most likely a virus, keylogger or spam-robot because often malware senders use such deceptive tricks and extensions.





BTW. A real threat is running a Internet PC with XP without firewall. That will last only and average of about 20 minutes without getting a malware problem. You cannot even update a XP in 20 minutes.





thx for reading my post