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Yahoo scans email for 'key terms'


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A malicious hacker could, for example, use the command line to run a program to change a person?s password without their knowledge.

 

To prevent such attacks on its customers, Yahoo searches and automatically replaces key terms?a step that is not disclosed to users and that goes beyond what other companies are doing.

 

THE REASON IS that e-mail sent in a form known as ?Web enhanced? can contain JavaScript instructions that can run programs on the recipient?s PC. JavaScript is a Web language that can issue commands such as telling the browser to open up other windows or to prompt a service to change a password, for example.

 

?Mocha? is one of those special commands that can be run from Web-enhanced e-mail?typing ?mocha:? into the location bar of the Netscape browser will open up a screen with a display area and a text box underneath, in which commands can be entered.

 

 

 

http://www.msnbc.com/news/781684.asp?cp1=1

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