[PLUG] Effect of a specific mail filter

[Michael C. Robinson]

Don't know if this is possible, but what if you opened 
suspicious email in a virtual environment insulated from 
your real one and evaluated the effect, if any, on that 
environment?  This way you can catch improper behavior 
and allow other html email through.  As long as the
virtual environment when infected can't take down the
host or leak out worms, etc., your set.

Another option is to only accept html email that is 
clearly formed by safe tools from a trusted source.
Guess you'd have to parse style and/or use 
cryptographic signatures.

HTML emails are just text programs, why can't they
be opened by something that won't execute them for
scanning purposes?  Isn't html language finite 
enough to where you can create a filter that 
looks for obvious things like file creation and 
deletion directives, etc.?  Just why is it that
programs like Outlook Express that crave html
formatted email and attachments are so worm and
virus friendly?

Michael C. Robinson