Richard Saillet/Mr. canalshop jailed for eight years for violent sexual assault.

[WotEver]

12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its also set up not to open anything. I have received dodge emails with attachments that have contained naughty's which I haven't opened that have not caused me a problem. I am not technical enough to offer Guarantees maybe some one else can offer an opinion.

If it's an HTML email it can contain images and other stuff which can certainly prove to the sender that you've opened it but I'm unsure if it could do anything more without you clicking on something. 

[MtB]

On 17/05/2017 at 13:01, WotEver said:

If it's an HTML email it can contain images and other stuff which can certainly prove to the sender that you've opened it but I'm unsure if it could do anything more without you clicking on something. 

And what if it's not?

This is the point I was trying to get to the bottom of. If one one clicks on the title line of an email in one's inbox to display the contents, does that present a risk? Clicking on something in the email obviously presents a risk, but does just reading it in the first place?

[WotEver]

6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

And what if it's not?

This is the point I was trying to get to the bottom of. If one one clicks on the title line of an email in one's inbox to display the contents, does that present a risk? Clicking on something in the email obviously presents a risk, but does just reading it in the first place?

If it's just plain text then no, it can't possibly do anything. I'm less sure about HTML emails. 

[WotEver]

23 minutes ago, WotEver said:

My new-ish Iphone 7 running 10.3.1 doesn't. Unless I've changed a setting somewhere, but I don't know how I could have done so. 

Just upgrading to 10.3.2 now to see if it makes any difference. 

Nope. Pressing and holding a link in an email simply highlights it - definitely different to how it used to be. I'll go Google. 

[Gordias]

It's technically possible for an email client (including a browser client) to open/execute an attached file automatically, but as far as I know none of them do so.  If you ever see it happening you have a problem.

Some clients, including common ones, are set up to recognize certain filetypes, and run programs that are associated with those filetypes if you e.g. double click on an attachment, or select "open", or whatever (varies by the email client, and there are a lot of them).  You should never ever do this, regardless of the source of the file, unless you are literally talking to the sender on the phone about it at the time and can verify (not joking).

There's always a way to find out the file name, and that will tell you if it is potentially executable.  Email attacks often modify the file's icon, and do odd things to file names (e.g. one called picFromMum.pdf.exe is 99% likely to be an attack) so if you're not sure assume the worst.

Similarly, there are ways to execute "bad" programs from inside many apparently innocuous file types like spreadsheets and word processer files. 

Some simple suggestions:

1. Never open a file directly in an email client
2. Save to disk, and check the filetype carefully before opening it 
3. Be careful about opening files you've saved to disk, especially if there's any uncertainty about the source or if its an unexpected or unknown file type.
4. Even with saved files, don't double-click on an unknown filetype, or a file from an unknown source that, when opened, starts a program than can be "hijacked" .  There have been successful large-scale attacks based on this, though I haven't heard of one for a long time.

Even this doesn't make you 100% safe, but that's not possible.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Gordias

[Robbo]

18 minutes ago, WotEver said:

If it's an HTML email it can contain images and other stuff which can certainly prove to the sender that you've opened it but I'm unsure if it could do anything more without you clicking on something. 

Most modern emailers now block remote images by default.  It's certain settable in outlook as well as on the iPhone.

[WotEver]

If anyone's still interested in my ramblings I've sussed it. It's apparently something to do with '3D Touch' and has different functionality from earlier phones/OSs  

URL or image, press and hold until it's highlighted (if it's a URL you'll see a preview of the destination) then slide upwards. The 'old' options are then available. 

[WotEver]

2 minutes ago, Robbo said:

Most modern emailers now block remote images by default.  It's certain settable in outlook as well as on the iPhone.

Unfortunately (for me) I get sent loads of images by email for business reasons.  Sometimes embedded, sometimes attached, sometimes both. 

[Robbo]

9 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Unfortunately (for me) I get sent loads of images by email for business reasons.  Sometimes embedded, sometimes attached, sometimes both. 

These are remote images that get blocked - usually emailers have a button that says load remote images.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Robbo

[WotEver]

14 minutes ago, Robbo said:

usually emailers have a button that says load remote images.

Yup, Mozilla does that for me on one pc. Outlook doesn't though, unless I turned it off at some time. 

[Chewbacka]

1 minute ago, WotEver said:

Yup, Mozilla does that for me on one pc. Outlook doesn't though, unless I turned it off at some time. 

On Thunderbird when you get an HTML mail it will give a lot of options for opening, but the two main options - other than don't open remote content -  are open only this mail, or open this mail and all future mails from this sender.  So in the past if you have clicked on the 'open from this sender' it doesn't ask again, it just opens them.  Possibly ms Outlook has a similar feature.

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, Chewbacka said:

Possibly ms Outlook has a similar feature.

Possibly, but it never asks me, whoever the sender. Maybe it has a global switch that I selected years ago. 

[Chewbacka]

4 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Possibly, but it never asks me, whoever the sender. Maybe it has a global switch that I selected years ago. 

I tend now to leave settings on their defaults.  Years ago I would go exploring and adjusting settings, but now if I change things it takes me ages to work out how to put it back as I forget what I did......

[Robbo]

28 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Yup, Mozilla does that for me on one pc. Outlook doesn't though, unless I turned it off at some time. 

 

Outlook (this is at work and on a later version of outlook)

file - options - trust center - trust center settings - automatic download

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Robbo said:

These are remote images that get blocked - usually emailers have a button that says load remote images.

 

That middle one is a classic isn't it? Even I feel a momentary desire to click "Unscubscribe" when I'm not a member of <whatever> mailing list.

[Chewbacka]

7 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

That middle one is a classic isn't it? Even I feel a momentary desire to click "Unscubscribe" when I'm not a member of <whatever> mailing list.

But if you keep getting mails from them you are on their mailing list even though you probably never asked or gave permission to be.   Set up the junk filter.

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

But if you keep getting mails from them you are on their mailing list even though you probably never asked or gave permission to be.   Set up the junk filter.

 

But I don't actually 'get' them as you term it. I'm sent about 100 spammy emails a day like that and perhaps one a month sneaks through into my inbox. I was just commenting on the innate human desire links like that prey on. 

Edited May 17, 2017 by Mike the Boilerman

[Robbo]

29 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

But I don't actually 'get' them as you term it. I'm sent about 100 spammy emails a day like that and perhaps one a month sneaks through into my inbox. I was just commenting on the innate human desire links like that prey on. 

That link is not in the email, it's the emailed app itself.  GMail site has the same thing.

[Lily Rose]

7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

The public at large seems to have enormous difficulty grasping the difference between opening and reading an email, and opening a file attached to the email, or clicking links displayed in the email.

Clicking on an attachment or a link carries obvious risks, but I'm never sure if simply opening an email and displaying the text on one's screen also carries a risk. I suspect not.

 

As this thread has digressed into whether or not you can have problems simply by opening an email it may be worth bringing this BBC News item from early last week to the attention of users of Windows 8 and 10.

It contains details of an emergency patch released by Microsoft to fix a loophole that could allow a malicious hacker to gain total control of a PC via an email that doesn't even need to be opened let alone read or an attachment opened.

More here...  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39856391

Here's a short extract...

"Anti-virus software such as Windows Defender would merely have to scan the malicious content for the exploit to be triggered.

On some computers, scans are set up to occur almost instantly - "real-time protection" - or to take place at a scheduled time.

"Anti-virus normally tries to intercept these things before you get to them," said cyber-security expert Graham Cluley."

 

And getting back on topic, this is now on the Ecotoilets website...

"On the 11th May 2017 Richard Saillet, former director of Ecotoilets Ltd was sentenced to 8 years in prison for serious sex offences. Mr Saillet has been completely removed from the Company and no longer holds any rights or any control. Neither will he benefit from any Company profits now or in the future."

http://www.eco-toilets.co.uk/company-update/

Edited May 17, 2017 by MrBeethoven
added Ecotoilets company update bit

[Starcoaster]

I just spotted that myself. Assuming that this is verifiable, here endeth my publicity campaign and I wish the remaining team the best of luck.

Companies House still shows him as a director, so I will check back in a week... Does anyone know how often they update, and does it apply to shareholders too?

Edited May 17, 2017 by Starcoaster

[David Mack]

20 hours ago, Starcoaster said:

I just wanted to add a footnote to this as I think it is relevant.

Last week just before sentencing I was advised that Mrs. Saillet was using the fake name of Jennifer Lancaster online to gain access to various groups and monitor news regarding her husband. I searched the name on FB etc., but came up blank. Anyway, lo and behold I got a message request on Facebook today (after posting on that platform publicizing Richard Saillet's conviction and the situation with the business as it still trades) from one Jennifer Lancaster, reproduced below:

 

According to Companys House Susanne Saillet's middle name is Jennifer, and perhaps Lancaster is her maiden name - a name she might be keen to start using again.

But on the Ecotoilets website About the Team page, a Susanne with no surname is listed as the only Director.

[Chewbacka]

39 minutes ago, Starcoaster said:

I just spotted that myself. Assuming that this is verifiable, here endeth my publicity campaign and I wish the remaining team the best of luck.

Companies House still shows him as a director, so I will check back in a week... Does anyone know how often they update, and does it apply to shareholders too?

Companies house currently has a document being processed and will be available in 5 days time.  Though interestingly the document seems to be related to a change of address.  We will have to wait to read it  -   https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09554354/filing-history

[Starcoaster]

Good find, thank you. Will check back then.

[colinlune]

Sadly no longer being a Director won't change his shareholding and I an't see Richard giving it up willingly.  Will monitor companies house and see if he gives up his shareholding too though even that won't mean a bean if there is a side-deal somewhere :-/

[Starcoaster]

Ah, I suspect you know him well given the cynicism!

Edited May 17, 2017 by Starcoaster