I don't know if my method of deleting the 'sounds' directory works for all versions of ICQ or not. All I know is that the program cannot be run, if the html file is looking for it in a directory that does not exist. So, yes, it will prevent this no matter which ICQ version you use. BUT I CANNOT GAURANTEE that it will not fuck up your ICQ. So make sure you can restore the directory if it doesn't work. (I hate those ICQ sounds, anyway, so I have them turned off.)
Also, realize that this can probably be done in other programs that auto download and install (WHY THE FUCK does windows allow this to happen? We are supposed to be able to tell windows to download or run from location for each file it downloads through IE). Winamp does this with plugins, so the same thing would be possible if the plugins go to the same directory every time.
ALSO REALIZE that these programs do not have to contain viruses that can be detected by your virus scanner. They can very well contain new viruses OR THEY COULD SIMPLY CONTAIN A PROGRAM THAT DELTREES YOUR ENTIRE SYSTEM. Virus scanners would not catch this, as it is not a virus, and does not attempt to hide itself or recreate itself.
This is too fucking crazy, and makes me mad
that idiots can allow for such stupid security flaws. Windows, ICQ, winamp, and any other program that sets its file associations to allow for auto download and auto run, are all to blame. All in the effort to make these programs easy for morons to install, because they can't remember where files go when they get downloaded.