I can do it in 3

Story: How to Write a Linux Virus in 5 Easy StepsTotal Replies: 6
Author Content
NoCaDrummer

Feb 19, 2009
1:40 PM EDT
I can do it in three:

1) Log in as root. 2) Run rm - rf / 3) Stare at screen as all your files disappear.

Stupid article. Anybody who downloads a program and installs it via root privileges (required on Linux) is asking for trouble. And that's basically what appears to be going on. Some Windows programs will happily install programs FOR you. (Ask those who've gotten burned by Microsoft Service Packs.) The most vulnerable will be the same sort of people who are willing to download a program to try to watch porn on a Windows PC. As another commenter pointed out, "You can't fix stupid."
bigg

Feb 19, 2009
2:08 PM EDT
Linux is also not secure from: 1. Dumping the computer into a running hay grinder. 2. Running the computer over with a steamroller. 3. Burning down the house in which the computer resides.

You see, Linux is just as vulnerable as Windows because the above three things will destroy your computer and take the data with it no matter the operating system.
azerthoth

Feb 19, 2009
2:13 PM EDT
Using it for a backstop while target practicing with a Smith & Wesson 500 does a fair job of showing of just how bullet proof Linux really is.

p.s. I have pictures ... somewhere
Bob_Robertson

Feb 19, 2009
6:06 PM EDT
> 3) Stare at screen as all your files disappear.

Someone posted a YouTube of them doing that on a VM, just for kicks. Turns out it ran for a remarkably long time before choking.
moopst

Feb 19, 2009
8:31 PM EDT
@Bob, that's probably because the files didn't really disappear until all the open file handles go away. Any process reading a file will have an open handle. I like shred /dev/hda myself.
hkwint

Feb 19, 2009
10:02 PM EDT
Only deleting /bin/rm or /bin/mkdir is also lots of fun. You should try it (on a VM I recommend), because the result is not as obvious as you might think.
aronzak

Feb 24, 2009
3:00 AM EDT
It's interesting, as even when you lose utilities like cp, you can still use shell builtins ie. echo "file" > file. In theory, if you really wanted to, you could potentially recover from this by writing yourself enough programs using builtins like echo until you have a system that can copy files from another machine.

Of course it's much easier just to recover important files using a live disc (or just forget about them and reinstall)

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