Re: Antivirus

From: Daibidh (daibidh_at_comcast.net)
Date: 08/12/04 

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 18:14:44 GMT

Mahler wrote:

> You don't need any antivirus software for Linux.
>
> The software out there you can buy for Linux scans outgoing files for
> Windows viruses that might be sent to a Windows machine out in the world.
>
> Pretty silly, if you ask me b/c perhaps the only way you can send a
> virus like that is to intentionally send an email with a windows virus
> as an attachment. And if you do that intentionally, well don't! :)
> Mass emailing worms that send on their own, etc are of the Windows
> world only. In Linux viruses cannot execute execute to try and do their
> damage, as they are code written for the Windows environment only.

Certainly viruses CAN be written for Linux. With all the Linux servers and
desktops out there, significantly less than Windows I am sure but still out
there none the less, don't you think it is only a matter of time before
Linux experiences its own Code Red epiphany?

I realize the whole root/user concept offers a level of protection Windows
users can only dream about but havoc can still be wrought, right? I'm
obviously a real newbie at Linux. I might be making far too many
assumptions on how Linux executes files/code etc but it just seems to make
sense that sooner or later someone somewhere is going to make a name for
themself as the hacker who released the first successful linux virus/trojan
whatever.

The Microsoft platform makes the most tempting target just for its massive
proliferation. Linux and OSX have proceeded relatively unscathed due to
the lack of interest on behalf of the hacking community at large. No
matter how well thought out, designed, or implimented, an OS is inherently
imperfect and open to attack. It's security is directly portportionate to
the talents and persistance of hackers which we all know seems to be
boundless these days.

Dave

Relevant Pages

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