[TOGG]

I have just seen details of the latest (in a long line) of Outlook Express vulnerabilities;http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-013.mspx

I am using Win 98 and I don't have the money or inclination to upgrade this box sufficiently to run XP. I have used OE a few times but the e-mail account I used it with was with an ISP I no longer use. If I open OE I get an error message that it cannot connect to that old ISP.

The MS bulletin suggests that even if you don't use OE the problem is still there so I am wondering if I can cripple or remove OE entirely without breaking anything else?

(I don't think I can use this patch anyway because my version of OE (5), is not mentioned. I have all the other 98 and IE Critical patches.)

 

[mobo]

It may be safer just to leave it be and try either the Mozilla Browser line and the thunderbird email program from http://www.mozilla.org/
Or my personal favorite Netscape 7.1 with bulit in popup blocker, email and secvurity features of the highest level from http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp

 

[TOGG]

If I can't find a way to disable OE I will have to keep it and take whatever risks that may involve. I have various security apps running which should notify me if anything bad attempts to attach itself to my system.

Although I read them carefully, I am never quite sure that I have fully understood these MS Bulletins so this might not be anything to get too concerned about!

My ISP's browser is based on IE (I think) but I have versions of Mozilla and Opera that I use but, so far, I have only tried the Operamail program.

 

[Grinler]

If you do not use Outlook Express for your email then this exploit has no ability to affect you. WHen they said in the bulletin "This could occur even if Outlook Express is not used as the default e-mail reader on the system." they are saying the exploit can happen even if your default mail client was netscape messenger, but you used outlook exprss occasionally.

If you dont use it, dont worry abou it.

 

[TOGG]

Thanks for the responses.

I guess that there is not much else I can do other than to continue to leave OE well alone!

I seem to remember reading somewhere (a long time ago) that all the 'Explorer' components were so tightly integrated with each other (and the rest of the OS) that they are dependent on each other.

If that wasn't the case I assume Bill wouldn't have had problems with the DoJ.

 

[etaf]

why not just instal the updates for win98. if on 56k modem you can order the CD for free

 

[TOGG]

As far as I know I already have all the Critical Updates for 98 and my version of IE. Whenever I go to the Update site I am offered stuff to do with IE 6, which I don't have, DX 9 and .NET Framework, which I don't want.

Last night Update wasn't offering anything to do with OE and today it's unobtainable due, I assume, to the number of people trying to get the latest patch(es).

I already have the updates CD but that is only good to October last year so it won't deal with the latest problems and I don't particularly want Windows Media Player and other stuff forcibly installed.

 

[etaf]

if you have all the updates then you should be ok

 

[TOGG]

I don't have the patch referred to in the Bulletin I linked to in my first post because MS, in line with their policy of reluctantly continuing 98 support, won't say whether OE on 98 is affected (although I assume it is) and don't know what effect the patch will have. Also, my version of OE (v5) is so old it's not even mentioned in the bulletin.

It seems very likely that this exploit affects IE as well but I do, as far as I know have all the patches for my version;http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA04-099A.html Windows Update is not offering anything new but that may be because it 'ignores' 98 systems with IE 5.5 SP2.

My OE Help files suggest that it can be uninstalled and reinstalled if problems arise with it and it is listed in Add/Remove so I'm sorely tempted to get rid of it. My kids have Hotmail accounts which might be affected but I'm willing to take that chance on their behalf!

I may be back later needing help with reinstalling OE from my 98 CD!