Bayesian Filters/Spam, and ...

Been reading about, & just downloaded SpamSleuth's Bayesian spam Filter program, to try out. But, I wondered about something:

These type programs or other spam filters talk of putting spam/probable spam in a special folder, or right into a Junk mail folder, etc. I'd always thought that it was *a really dangerous stupid human trick* even allowing that crap on your PC, period. Is it? Maybe, or maybe not? (I know somewhat of dangers of links, html, web bugs in e-mail, or know enough about them to be paranoid & not wanting any spam to even touch the hard drive, at all).

I currently use MailWasher Pro, allowing one to see mail while it >still resides on ISP's server before< you get it, and then process mail according to what MW Pro thinks, and what I can see of mail, etc. So >only< what I want actually comes to this PC; but, if other programs suck in the mail and stick it this or that folder to then examine... aren't you then vulnerable to whatever... once it is on your system?
OR, if/when you download mail *is that the moment when you place all faith on your AV and/or anti-Trojan program?

Thanks, if you can clear up distinction for me. SG1 (Pat)

 

You may be partly right, I recieve lots of spam daily and have yet to see a malicious mail containing any nasties.

If you have real confidence in your spam filter you can set up a filter to delete all mail marked up as spam (marked as you mentioned) I intend to do just this when I know my spam filter is working as I want,and so far its pretty much there now.

 

Hi, SG1. AFAIK, if you do not view html, then the only way a virus, worm, or trojan could activate would be if you click on an attachment. My e-mail client (Becky!) converts HTML to plain text for viewing. So I don't worry about bad scripts or web bugs. And I don't execute attachments unless I know who sent it and why, not likely to happen in my spam folder.

My AV (Nod32) checks the attachments while they are being downloaded. TDS-3 ExecProt checks the file for trojans when I decide to execute it. Wormguard checks for worms. And my Sygate firewall should catch any attempts to call home.

So the chances of an infection from my spam folder are slim. And the statistical analysis of message bodies by K9 reduces my workload considerably. In Mailwasher, I was reviewing almost every message.