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Oh those XML Viruses

• To: "'xml-dev@l...'" <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: Oh those XML Viruses
• From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 08:56:33 -0600

http://news.com.com/2100-1002-993696.html?tag=fd_top

"The problem centers on macros embedded in documents in the Office 2003 beta, or test, version. When saved as an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file, the macros can more or less wind up anywhere. This means that scanners must search the entire contents of a file, rather than examine the part of the file where macros are always positioned."

This not exactly being a new problem, one has to wonder:

1. Why have the scanner vendors taken until now to figure this out?
2. Why single out Microsoft?  

Tit:  Scanning the whole file slows us down.  
Tat:  Viruses take you all the way out.  

Tit:  Microsoft should behave as they ought.
Tat:  So should scanner software.  Just because 
      the header says the macros are "here" doesn't 
      mean another one isn't "there".  One might 
      want to validate too.

Tit:  It's Microsoft's fault.
Tat:  Microsoft didn't invent XML. 
      This is a problem for any XML that 
      can contain a macro and any system 
      that doesn't sandbox it.

Gee.  What will Open Office do?

len

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