08-23-2003, 09:02 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 49
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PIF files?
I had a suspicious email in my inbox the other day. It said something like:
Failed to deliver this email to (address)
Attachment: your_details.pif
I decided not to open the attachment, seeing as it would probably be my email ready for spam harvesting  But i'm not totally sure. What exactly are PIF files? What do they do?
I deleted the email, so i'm not too worried, i just want to avoid this sort of thing in future.
Any help appreciated
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08-23-2003, 09:24 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,019
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That would be the Sobig worm. It's a good thing you didn't open the attachment. See details here. This goes beyond spam harvesting and into virus-land. |
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08-23-2003, 02:33 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,999
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by AppleMac
What exactly are PIF files? What do they do?
I deleted the email, so i'm not too worried, i just want to avoid this sort of thing in future.
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Here is some info on PIF files...
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Originally Posted by Webopedia
Program InFormation file, a type of file that holds information about how Windows should run a non-Windows application. For example, a PIF file can contain instructions for executing a DOS application in the Windows environment. These instructions can include the amount of memory to use, the path to the executable file, and what type of window to use. PIF files have a .pif extension .
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Steve
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"My eyes are rolling back in my head so far I can see my grey matter bubbling and frothing from reading this thread....bleh." JD
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08-23-2003, 05:46 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,211
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by AppleMac
I had a suspicious email in my inbox the other day. It said something like:
Failed to deliver this email to (address)
Attachment: your_details.pif
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Though if you have a Mac as your name implies, it would not have done anything.
But yes, .pif files in email are bad. |
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08-23-2003, 05:57 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 14,938
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by Steven Cedrone
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Originally Posted by Webopedia
Program InFormation file, a type of file that holds information about how Windows should run a non-Windows application. For example, a PIF file can contain instructions for executing a DOS application in the Windows environment. These instructions can include the amount of memory to use, the path to the executable file, and what type of window to use. PIF files have a .pif extension .
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Well, this is the historical reference, of course. Anyone remember "PIFEDIT" from the Windows 2.x days?
Nowadays, Windows will execute .PIF files like they're .EXE files, i.e., arbitrary programs. As Kati says, this is a bad thing to run from email.
--janak |
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08-23-2003, 06:27 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,220
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
... Anyone remember "PIFEDIT" from the Windows 2.x days?
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I remember it all too well. Always trying to find the right combination of extended vs. expanded memory, crashing Windows because the program couldn't return from full-screen mode... ah, the good ol' days. 
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Nowadays, Windows will execute .PIF files like they're .EXE files, i.e., arbitrary programs. As Kati says, this is a bad thing to run from email.
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:soapbox:
The worst part, of course, is that even if you turn on the display of file extensions, .pif is never shown except at a command prompt dir listing. Like program shortcuts (.lnk) and Internet shortcuts (.url), Microsoft decided that no matter what, you just shouldn't see some things. (Unless you jump through some arcane hoops to change the display settings in the registry.)
The fact that file extensions are hidden by default for most file types simply makes the spread of these viruses that much easier. All a person needs to do is make a virus, make the program icon look like a JPEG file, and name it Cool-Photo.jpg.pif, and many people will open it right up without hesitation no matter how many times they've been told not to open attachments. Microsoft needs to seriously reconsider this default setting in the next Windows release.
-- Dave
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Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
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08-23-2003, 06:42 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,999
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Anyone remember "PIFEDIT" from the Windows 2.x days?
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Some things are best left forgotten... :wink:
Steve
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"My eyes are rolling back in my head so far I can see my grey matter bubbling and frothing from reading this thread....bleh." JD
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08-24-2003, 02:02 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 441
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Webopedia
Program InFormation file, a type of file that holds information about how Windows should run a non-Windows application. For example, a PIF file can contain instructions for executing a DOS application in the Windows environment. These instructions can include the amount of memory to use, the path to the executable file, and what type of window to use. PIF files have a .pif extension .
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Well, this is the historical reference, of course. Anyone remember "PIFEDIT" from the Windows 2.x days?
Nowadays, Windows will execute .PIF files like they're .EXE files, i.e., arbitrary programs. As Kati says, this is a bad thing to run from email.
--janak |
PIF editor was in Windows 3.x, also as I recall. It was handy for running DOS applications with a vareity of session characteristics.
I don't miss Windows 3.11. But then, given the latest news regarding e-mail viruses, RIAA suits, ROM upgrade charges, and identity theft ... I wouldn't mind rolling the clock back to 1993. Norton Desktop 3.0 worked SO well for me....
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Current PDA: Casio E-125. Past: Casio CQ-1 c. 1977. Seiko UC-3000, c. 1986. Casio B.O.S.S c. 1991.
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08-24-2003, 03:53 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,211
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Re: PIF files?
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Originally Posted by davidspalding
PIF editor was in Windows 3.x, also as I recall. It was handy for running DOS applications with a vareity of session characteristics.
I don't miss Windows 3.11. But then, given the latest news regarding e-mail viruses, RIAA suits, ROM upgrade charges, and identity theft ... I wouldn't mind rolling the clock back to 1993. Norton Desktop 3.0 worked SO well for me....
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Heh. I went from DOS 6.something to Win95. Okay, well, I had an Amiga or two in there.... |
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