Hi Allen. This may not be a problem but I wanted to post this just in case.
As you know, posting .txt or .log files is done through the Add Attachment link at the bottom whereas JPG files should be posted using the symbol which looks like a green tree at the top. JPG files are supposed to be approved by a moderator before they are visible to other users.
I have discovered that if you simply rename a JPG file to something which ends in .txt or .log you can successfully attach to the thread using the Add Attachments link at the bottom. Not only does the forum allow you to attach it but you can click on the attachment and view the JPG file even though it is not really a text file.
Does this create any concern since this bypasses the need to have a moderator approve the image? E.g., does it open up any possibility of any sort of malware infection for users who click on the attachment link? The other concern is what if someone uploaded some inappropriate image in this method?
Just between the two of us... soon we're going to update the Lithium software used to manage the Norton Online Community, and I'm not certain if the work-around you found will still be open after that. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!
The issue actually has to do with how a browser displays a file when the file's MIME type (plain text) according to the server does not agree with the actual data content (image). Browsers like Firefox and Opera will will render any .txt extension as plain text while Internet Explorer will render an image if the file is simply a renamed .jpg. So your observation is only true if you are using IE. I posted a demonstration of this last week here. Your concerns are vailid. And yes, malware can be disguised by this method. The eicar.com.txt file is a test that shows this well. Firefox renders it as harmless plain text so Norton does not alert. Internet Explorer, on the other hand, opens the file causing Norton to block it. In this case, Firefox does offer more safety.
Thanks, totally makes sense which is exactly the reason I posted this. Hopefully the upcoming forum software upgrade will resolve this. I'm a bit unsure as to how to handle situations where savvy users have figured out that all they have to do is rename the file to upload it via the Add Attachments link. I'm always a bit relucant to bring up the image.
Brings to mind the other thread I started here. To me there is NO doubt this issue needs to be corrected sooner rather than later.