Can mpeg's or jpeg's contain viruses?

[Jericho]

Just wondering, is there any reason to virus scan downloaded videos or jpegs? Have the virus makers found a way into those formats yet? Thanks.

[Gallaeglagh]

To be on the ultra safe side is doesn't hurt to scan other than the 10 seconds it takes. As far as I know jpegs can't contain viruses even though there have been some named *.jpg.vbs or something like that.

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When in doubt search on Google

[Rick]

I don’t know If they have found a way to infect these formats yet.
I do know that many spamers have started putting Hooks into these movie files
that will connect you to their sites or others.
With some of the script Trojans you could pick up something unwanted from the site

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To ERR is HUMAN
To REALLY screw things UP, YOU NEED a COMPUTER !

[iisbob]

Seems like it was on an episode of " screensavers " where they showcased a company that is putting messages in jpeg's. They insert the single characters into the actual binary code of the picture, of course you need a special reader to get the message out.

As for programs in the actual files, unlikely-but not impossible-biggst problem would be the file size, pretty much anyone with 'net savy can recognize that jpeg format's are small in size-that's the benefit of their compression ratio, and what makes them ideal for web usage.

So if you got a jpeg that was several MB's in size, you'd be suspicious. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

of course it could just be grandma sending a pic without knowing how to use her photo software . http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

Anyways, you kinda get the " pic ", scan all files to be safe. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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iisbob

Life of a tech-support specialist-
"..Tech Support: "Use the right button to click on the shortcut--"
Customer: "I don't have a right button."
Tech Support: "You should have a right button."
Customer: "I'm sure. I have 'ctrl', 'alt', 'backspace'..."

[hiredgoonz]

The tricky part about the file extensions is that by default windows doesn't display them, so you could accidentally click on a file that showed itself as "frank.jpg" when the name was actually "frank.jpg.vbs" (as mentioned by Gall.)

So, just to be on the safe side, it might be a good idea to unselect the "Hide extensions for known file types" box under Tools/Folder Options/View...

Cause I know personally, I'm not going to scan every file I open...

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When all else fails, read the instructions.

[sea69]

saw a warning yeterday (can't find the link tight now) that suggested that there were now web-site trojans that take only one X one pixel embedded into the site that can do just about anything that it wants to.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif




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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)


;)~

[kayofcircles]

lol, iisbob. "grandma sending a pic without knowing how to use her photo software" For "grandma", insert "cousin" and you have my problem in a nutshell. Since she "forwards" everything everywhere, I am wary of opening anything she sends, and yet have to wait LONG LONG minutes for her stuff to download on my slow ISP. Changing ISPs now, and not going to tell her new addy...giving her Hotmail addy to appease the "family" thing.

[mjc]

In theory, yes, any form of data can contain malware (virus, trojan, web-bug, etc), the only problem is the ease and practicallity of using a particular file format to distribute it...a highly compressed pure data format like a jpeg is much more difficult to "infect" than a script file or a macro, for that matter any kind of executable is much easier than pure data. While it would be easieer to infect an mpeg, that too has limits on how "easy" it would be.

I think that we have been fairly lucky, in that most of the malware of the last year has been made with high level programming languages and scripting languages...if someone who had a reasonable command of assembly turned to the "darkside" I think that we would see some of the other common, non-executable file formats become the vehicles for distribution of some pretty nasty bugs. Also I read an article (one of the computer mags online stuff) in which the author stated that using the techniques of the malware there can actually be "good" virii (like one that seeks out and eats other trojans), but I don't ever see that as happpeneing


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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Gallaeglagh]

Originally posted by sea69:
saw a warning yeterday (can't find the link tight now) that suggested that there were now web-site trojans that take only one X one pixel embedded into the site that can do just about anything that it wants to.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif




It's known as a web bug



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When in doubt search on Google

[Whyzman]

http://www.privacyfoundation.org/images/webBugs.gif (http://www.privacyfoundation.org/resources/webbug.asp#1)

Was just dying to try this...it's linked to the Privacy Foundation.org site! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman



[This message has been edited by Whyzman (edited 01-02-2002).]