Attached Link: http://acd.ucar.edu/~fredrick/win2k/active_scripting

This was a very misguided "joke". Especially given the recent trend of hackers resorting to rootkits to conceal their malevolent software from anti-virus checkers and spyware cleaners and disabling firewalls, no one can afford to visit any hacked site (unless you have your Security setting for regular internet sites set to "High". But, even with that setting, if you have RuntimeDNA added to your Trusted sites, with a typically lower security setting, as I do, your system could have been badly compromised if this were a real hack).

RuntimeDNA merchants may want to ask some pointed questions to the RuntimeDNA sysadmin. Sounds like he's a kid fresh out of college who thinks he's still in a fraternity that is playing a trick on new pledges. Clearly, this is not a sysadmin who takes security issues seriously.

I recommend that everyone using Internet Explorer read the above URL to see how to best setup your browser for security. Definitely do use your "Trusted sites" feature of Internet Explorer, while disabling active scripting for all other sites. (And don't open those email attachments unless you're absolutely sure you know who is sending you something, and you've confirmed with that person that the email attachment was deliberately sent. Well, if you don't trust that the person knows how to protect his computer, don't open it anyway).

I believe that I'll remove RuntimeDNA from my trusted sites list until such time as the sysadmin can reassure me he has learned a bit more about security. Right now, I have very little faith in him.

Message edited on: 04/01/2006 16:12