1968/1973 15 May 89 07:09:22
From:   Tom Hendricks
To:     All
Subj:   WARNING on PKZIP/UNZIP!!!!!!
Attr:   
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This message was sent thru the SDS Coordinator's Echo, with a pretty stern 
warning on the use of Zip.

The SDS has been asked by several of its members to BAN the use of Zipped 
Files because of the ability to embed practically anything in its comments 
field, which are shown anytime anything is done with the packet.

I debabted whether or not to relate this here, as the information is 
particularly sensitive to SYSOP's and if this gets out to people - the full 
scale assaults might begin.

Suffice it to say, it can be used in any setting, uploads or even net-mail.


-Tom-

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

What follows, is an article I received for MetroLink, the Net 107 newsletter.
Just thought it may be of interest to you all!
---------------------------------------------------------

| /        | /
|< ELLER'S |< ORNER
| \        | \

        By:
    Pete Keller
  Fido 1:107/322
  Fido 1:107/522

                        SYSOP'S  BEWARE!

FILES UPLOADED TO YOUR SYSTEM THAT HAVE BEEN COMPRESSED UTILIZING 
PHIL  KATZ'S PKZIP/PKUNZIP UTILITY COULD CRASH YOUR  SYSTEM  WHEN
                            UNZIPPED!

   The  following  notice was recently retrieved  while  scanning 
through  the file areas on a California BBS and is  onpassed  for 
your information and/or action:

----- Quote -----

                          TURBOCITY BBS

                           P O Box 512
                         Ripon CA  95366
                         (209) 599-7435

                 Member of International FidoNet
                    NetMail Address: 1:161/11

                    Gary & Pam Lagier: Sysops

               Closed for Mail Activity every Day
                        4:30am to 5:15am

                         Home Of BeeLine

                  System News as of May 3 1989

                  ALERT!     ALERT!     ALERT! 

     As  most  of  you  know it is  possible  to  reprogram  your 
keyboard (and other things) using ANSI Escape sequences. What may 
not  be  so  readily apparent, however, is that  Phil  Katz'  ZIP 
programs will allow the use of ANSI in the comments section. This 
means  that  everytime  you do anything to that  ZIP  file  which 
causes  the  comment to be displayed you run the risk  of  having 
your  keyboard redefined. I have received several such  "innocent 
looking"  files  in the last two weeks. One caused my F1  key  to 
display  a wide DOS Directory, the other attempted to delete  all 
files  on my hard drive! (It would have worked but I  had  turned 
off the hard drive before testing that file - whew!)

  TurboCity BBS is handling this newest nonsense in three ways:

     1. We will not display any uploaded files until the  nightly 
        clean-up routine strips all comments from ZIPped files.

     2. We  suggest strongly that  you download a file  from  our 
        selection,  called STRIPZ11.ZIP. (It has been checked  by 
        me  for  any damaging comments). Then  run  every  single 
        ZIPped  file  you  have or get thru  that  program!  This 
        should be the very first thing you do when you get a  new 
        ZIPped  file.  If you follow this then you will not  have 
        any trouble (with this particular nonsense, anyway).

     3. TurboCity will post a series of files designed to educate 
        one on how to use ANSI Escape Sequences in various tasks.

-----------snip---------

Thats the jest of the article.  Take care & beware! Don 



--- msged 1.9972S ZTC
 * Origin: BBS'ing since '81 - is it any wonder I'm crazy??? (1:261/662)