Re: [Sheflug] Re: bounce

["wulfie" <nospam [at] wulfric7.co.uk>]

I know there are security issues with AOL, but it seems pretty much the same
with any other ISP's MS-based software - AOL's browser is just a modified
IE5.01.  AOL have made themselves a cracker target due to some of their past
policies but again, with the bad press a lot of the 0800 UK isps have made
for themselves (Breathe, LibrtySurf, RedHotAnt etc) they are probably as
much a target for vendetta crackers as the big guys. However, I'm also
running a Windows firewall/proxy which brick-walls everything incoming so I
think the box is as safe as a Win95 box ever gets on the 'net. The rumour is
that AOL's next major software release will be plain ol' DUN compatible so
any dialler/browser (ie Linux) should do the job, with the extra security
that brings with it. The new Version 6 software no longer (visibly)
downloads sneaky stuff when the system signs off, which is a step forward.

I'll give it a couple of months & see how it goes - the wife wants daytime
access to research a College history project without hassle, I'd be happy
with off-peak evening & weekend access myself.

----- Original Message -----
From: Richard <richard [at] sheflug.co.uk>
To: Sheflug <sheflug [at] vuw.ac.nz>
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 10:36 AM
Subject: [Sheflug] Re: bounce


> Paul
>
> Just a word about AOL....
>
> wulfie wrote:
>
> > The pennies all seem to add up to fifteen quid more or less, prices are
> > floating around to match AOL (or so it seems). BT's SurfTogether seems a
> > very poor offering in comparison. As I said, this was mainly for the
trouble
> > & bin lids on their Winbox. I'm not even thinking about doing anything
> > requiring security over AOL! The Winmodem on this box precludes Linux
access
> > for the time being anyway.
>
> About two or three years ago I was on the Pegasus Mail for Windows
> list when all of us received some mail from an AOL programmer who had
> just been thrown out of the door at his AOL office.  Reason for his
> dismissal was that he had tried to explain to someone else that he had
> been told to produce software with a back door in it.  When he tried
> to make it public that it was AOL and American government policy to
> allow any old cyber crook back door access to anyone's computer then
> he was lost into the throng and forgotten about.
>
> Still, by the time the online info has been misused by the right
> people so they can make millions I should think we won't even
> recognise the twisted way that they've done it to us :)
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Richard


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