#3? don't think so

Story: Five *nix Myths BustedTotal Replies: 4
Author Content
tuxchick

Jan 23, 2010
9:37 PM EDT
Not bad, but what about #3:

Quoting:One of the circumstances where *nix systems could get viruses is where a user has access to a *nix system and other *nix systems on the same network. This user could deploy a computer program that would replicate itself and deliver its payload on all the systems


Maybe I'm getting dim with age, but I don't see how this would work. Unless it was a deliberately malicious act, and the the user had sufficient permissions on multiple systems to install software. Which is quite a bit different than Windows' famous friendliness to malware, where it welcomes any and all stray random executables from anywhere, but won't let the actual human user do anything useful. The typical Windows habit of getting infected from visiting a web site, or from merely downloading an infected email or document, is beyond pitiful.
gus3

Jan 23, 2010
10:18 PM EDT
That sounds like the Morris worm of 1988.
dinotrac

Jan 24, 2010
12:26 AM EDT
TC --

You can do that on Unix systems if you really want to ---

Let me give you two words: "trust relationship"
phsolide

Jan 24, 2010
12:16 PM EDT
Gee whizz, Fred Cohen did a mathematical proof in 1988 that no computer system that shares information is immune from viruses. OK. "*nix" is not immune from viruses.

The real question becomes: Why doesn't the linux-using community suffer from the same pandemic plagues that the Windows-using community does?

That is and has been the interesting virus and malware question. And the "experts" have done and currenctly do their best to ignore it.
gus3

Jan 24, 2010
1:47 PM EDT
@phsolide:

Quoting:Fred Cohen did a mathematical proof in 1988 that no computer system that shares information *with other systems of unknown trust* is immune from viruses.
Fixed.

I can set up an isolated, two-node network that will be the I.T. equivalent of Bubble Boy.

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