Q:

Can a subscriber to a list get unsubscribed because of an email message sent to the UNC listserver by a virus like Klez?

A:

Yes. Although the likelihood of this occurring is very low, it can happen. Klez and viruses like it will send email messages to addresses found in the Windows address book and in local files of the computer they infect. For the scenario mentioned in the question above to occur, a subscriber to a UNC mailing list would have to save copies of messages to their local computer, and the individual's computer would have to subsequently get infected by Klez or a similar virus. The virus could then send "unsubscribe" requests to the UNC list server by using the "unsubscribe" address that appears by default in the footer of messages sent by the list server because these messages would be saved in local files of the infected computer.

One way to safeguard against your users against being unsubscribed without thier approval is to set the list to require confirmation for unsubscribe requests. You can adjust this setting by logging in to manage your list at http://mail.unc.edu/lists, and going to Utilities → List Settings → List Security and Membership Confirmations → Confirmations.

 

Copyright 2002-2007 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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