Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 19:25:19 -0400 From: Matthew Hagerty <mhagerty@voyager.net> To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: just how many known viruses are there for FreeBSD? Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.2.20010801191853.023a1f10@pop.voyager.net> In-Reply-To: <20010801190159.M56755@acadia.ne.mediaone.net> References: <5.0.2.1.2.20010801183730.018f6610@pop.voyager.net> <20010801221246.52013.qmail@web14608.mail.yahoo.com> <5.0.2.1.2.20010801183730.018f6610@pop.voyager.net>
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Being written in assembly has nothing to do with what a program can do! All programs, no matter what language they are written in are either compiled or interpreted down to "machine language" in order to be executed by the processor. What do you thing a C compiler is doing? As for the virus, it still has to execute, and if it is executed on a UN*X box without proper permissions to do its destruction, well, it will simply fail. If the virus is run as "root", then yes, it could very easily destroy your system. But you don't need a virus to take down a UN*X system if you have root access, a simple "rm -f * &" from the root partition will do just fine. Matthew At 07:01 PM 8/1/2001 -0400, you wrote: >Not entirely true. A hacker group recently completed the winux virus >that is capable of infecting both the Linux and Windows OSs. It is a >proof of concept virus, and IIRC, it is written entirely in assembly - >meaning that theoretically, it can infect pretty much any ix86 based >OS. > >Search for winux on google - you will get about 2500 hits. Mostly >hysteria though since the virus isn't terribly destructive - it just >demonstrates that it _can_ be done. > >Lou > >On 08/01/01 06:50 PM, Matthew Hagerty sat at the `puter and typed: > > Patrick, > > > > There are not really any "viruses" on UN*X systems, simply due to the > > nature of how a UN*X system works. It is not like your normal desktop > > workstation, and there are certainly not (usually) novice users poking > > around on the box. The security model that UN*X systems are built on > makes > > it almost impossible for a program [virus] to do any kind of damage, so > > people don't waste their time trying to write UN*X viruses and simply > > concentrate on an easier platform... enter Windows. > > > > Viruses for a UN*X system are usually in the form of a human parasite > known > > as a "cracker" or "script-kiddie" trying for breach your system and > install > > a backdoor. > > > > As for convincing your boss, well, if he won't listen and trust his IT > > people then I would ask him what he hired you for? I suppose you could > > throw up some names like Yahoo! and say "look, Yahoo! uses > > FreeBSD..." Windows has its place, but being a high-volume secure web > > server is *not* one of them. > > > > Good luck, > > Matthew > > > > At 03:12 PM 8/1/2001 -0700, Patrick Simon wrote: > > >To whom it may concern, > > > > > >I am wondering (in order to convince my boss) about > > >the feasibility of using FreeBSD as a webserver > > >instead of Win2000 running IIS. > > > > > >In particular, I was wondering just how many known > > >viruses there are for FreeBSD. > > > > > >Regards, > > > > > >Patrick. > > > > > >===== > > >"Some climb up among the rocks." - Jeremiah 4:29 > > >---------------------------- > > >Patrick Simon > > >Employee/Student - QUT > > >I use this account when email.qut.edu.au is sluggish > > >Please continue to mail me at patsimon12@cyberdude.com > > >---------------------------- > > > > > >__________________________________________________ > > >Do You Yahoo!? > > >Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger > > >http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ > > > > > >To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > > >with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message > > > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message > > > >-- >Louis LeBlanc leblanc@acadia.ne.mediaone.net >Fully Funded Hobbyist, KeySlapper Extrordinaire :) >http://acadia.ne.mediaone.net ԿԬ > >Captain's Log, star date 21:34.5... > > >To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org >with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the messagehelp
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