Bugtraq mailing list archives
Outlook Express Win98 bug, addition.
From: miquels () CISTRON NL (Miquel van Smoorenburg)
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 10:59:46 +0200
In article <cistron.7h8rg1$eos$1 () Q cistron nl>, Miquel van Smoorenburg <miquels () CISTRON NL> wrote:
There is a bug in Outlook Express delivered with Windows '98, at least version 4.72.3110.1 (4.01 SP1) and 4.72.3120.0 (4.01 SP1 + oepatsp1)
[...]
Outlook Express will interpret the double-dot as a single dot, switching back to POP3 command mode and interpreting the rest of the message as a response from the POP3 server. Result is an error message and usually a hanging POP3 session.
It occured to me that it might not be clear from the original message but because the POP3 session is hanging, the message will not be removed from the server and the next time mail is check the same thing will occur. This is an effective DOS attack against the mailbox. The only way to solve this is to remove the message with another POP3 email program (Eudora, Pegasus) or to ask the sysadmin of the POP3 server to remove the message manually (look for a message that has a line starting with a dot). Upgrading to MSIE 5.0 will also solve the problem, but there is no simple/small bugfix from Microsoft available (an MSIE 5.0 download is what - 20 MB at least?) yet for as far as I know. So, ISP helpdesks - take note. This is at least one of the causes of the problems all these people have been having with their "blocked mail". Mike. -- Indifference will certainly be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Current thread:
- Outlook Express Win98 bug Miquel van Smoorenburg (May 11)
- Outlook Express Win98 bug, addition. Miquel van Smoorenburg (May 12)