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=20 do! All programs, no matter what language they are written in are either=20 compiled or interpreted down to "machine language" in order to be executed= =20 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= =20 box without proper permissions to do its destruction, well, it will simply= =20 fail. If the virus is run as "root", then yes, it could very easily=20 destroy your system. But you don't need a virus to take down a UN*X system= =20 if you have root access, a simple "rm -f * &" from the root partition will= =20 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=20 > 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=20 > known > > as a "cracker" or "script-kiddie" trying for breach your system and=20 > 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. > > > > > >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > > >"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 =D4=BF=D4=AC > >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 message
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