It should be pretty obvious that the only reason that viruses are so
prolific on MS platforms, is that so many people are using them. When
designing a virus to spread, the user base must be considered. A virus
written to infect UNIX systems would not attract much attention anywhere
other than a small circle of professionals and engineers.
Michael B. Bellopede
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: Randall Stewart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 8:05 PM
To: Michael H. Warfield
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Scot Mc Pherson; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: VIRUS WARNING
Michael:
I could not agree more, we have a few (possibly .. 3) virus that have
infect *nix systems. Even more telling, look at how linux systems
have NOT been infected or bothered much. I find this interesting
since the code - bugs, wart, and any holes are available to any
who want to look at it...
Now if I take and switch the machine I am typing on over to
that "other" o/s the virus scanner it has lists 100's and I
mean 100's of viruses...
I do understand that some of us are STUCK with that other
O/S... but there are options.. I too am in theory using it.. but
only when I have to... I do all my real work on the linux side and
only occasionaly fire up the other side to read a awful .doc or .ppt
file...
I simply refuse to allow our IT dept to have there way with me and
infect me with the worst virus... that other O/S :-)
R
"Michael H. Warfield" wrote:
>
> On Thu, May 04, 2000 at 11:13:03PM -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > On Thu, 04 May 2000 11:11:50 EDT, Scot Mc Pherson
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said:
> > > In fact to back up your statement, there are exactly 3 virii that
infect
> > > UNIX based systems.
>
> > Hmm.. the Morris worm of 1988. What are the other 2?
>
> Bliss? Wasn't very sophisticated and it didn't propagate very
> well, but it did work. It just fizzeled out because it's propagation
> coefficient never even came close to break even.
>
> What's the other one?
>
> > Hmm.. if you count the 2 self-reproducing sample programs that
> > came with 'gcc', no others. Or maybe there's more than 3, which
> > is likely since I've seen at least 4 different "proof of concept"
> > level creations...
>
> I've seen some assembly code someone was proposing on one of the
> development lists. One of the DOS virus writers claiming that it would
> work as a Linux virus. No evidence that it does anything though. I
> would marginally call that one a "proof of concept" or a "maybe of
> concept".
>
> > Valdis Kletnieks
> > Operating Systems Analyst
> > Virginia Tech
>
> Mike
> --
> Michael H. Warfield | (770) 985-6132 | [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> (The Mad Wizard) | (770) 331-2437 |
http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
> NIC whois: MHW9 | An optimist believes we live in the best of all
> PGP Key: 0xDF1DD471 | possible worlds. A pessimist is sure of it!
--
Randall R. Stewart
Member Technical Staff
Network Architecture and Technology (NAT)
847-632-7438 fax:847-632-6733
