interesting article on winXP and viruses

[Octavius]

er, virii?

http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/228

If Windows XP were the size of the Empire State Building, then the little barking Beagle virus -- the size of a small dog -- can come in through the front door, lift its leg, deliver its payload, and somehow cause the entire building to come crumbling down. Or, Beagle can simply hold the door open automatically, so that a large cement truck can drive in and deliver its mystery payload to the base of the operating system as required.

[FOGOLD]

My AV picked up Bagle ostensibly from Skuzzy!

However I know it probably didn't come from Skuzzy but had mined his address from some unprotected AH player somewhere with inadequate AV.

[Nilsen]

I like my Macintosh... no beagle or any other virus here.

[Wilbus]

LINUX

[Nilsen]

OSX

[Shane]

XP......

and common sense.

[Wilbus]

Well gotto say, Microsoft have braggeb em self by the neck with XB, think they realised the previous windows versions (not 2k) sucked big time. XP is far better but still vulnerable compared to Linux, OSX and other Unix based OS's.

I think there are 2 (TWO!) know viruses for Linux. Of course there may be a few unknown ones aswell but not too many.

How many thousands are there for Windows? Millions?

[Halo]

Isn't Windows the target for most viruses simply because it dominates the computer world by a huge margin?  Much less effect from attacking other operating systems used by far fewer people, right?  

Good perspective, Octavius.  Wee germies can bring down the most massive structures.

[Skuzzy]

Originally posted by FOGOLD
My AV picked up Bagle ostensibly from Skuzzy!

However I know it probably didn't come from Skuzzy but had mined his address from some unprotected AH player somewhere with inadequate AV.

I get several of those a day that appear to be from myself.  Several clients have viruses on their computers and I appear to be in their address books.
Most people feel safe of they are running a virus scanner, but that will not stop a 'new type' of virus from infecting your computer.  Virus scanners 'post-correct' their databases.  The window to get the virus is always there.


Actually Halo, Windows is the only OS that has the mechanisms to efficiently deliver the viruses.  UNIX's really cannot deliver a 'virus' or be infected by a 'virus' per se.  Various caveats apply.

[bloom25]

If it wasn't for Outlook and Outlook Express I wonder if Symantec (Norton AV) would still be in business...

[Halo]

That's interesting, Skuzzy.  I've heard things like that before but have never understood why Windows supposedly is the only operating system vulnerable to viruses.  

(Putting on Star Trek Spock logic mask) If any two computers share a common operating system, no matter what the system, it would seem that a virus could be developed to permeate any system if unchecked, couldn't it?

Likewise it seems that if villains want to max damage, they would concentrate on the most pervasive operating system and not bother with smaller ones.  

(Pulling off Spock mask to reveal Oblivious mask) I'll have to go reread some of the tons of material on OS's and viruses.  However (rueful grimmace), I may be immune to understanding it.

[Skuzzy]

Halo, the first thing you have to get a handle on is that Windows is more of a glorifed application than a true operating system.

It has no protections for itself.  Any part of Windows can be easily reaplced with an errant piece of code.  All the librairies are exposed to user intervention and so is the memory.

That is what makes it so easy to plant viruses and have the OS deliver them.

UNIX systems are protected from most things by the simple fact that the operating system cannot be replaced with errant pieces of code.  Users cannot get directly to kernel memory space.
This causes programs that run in user space to have to be activated by a user.  UNIX has had many years of security development and did not have to carry legacy garbage around with it, as it was always designed to be protected from errant users doing silly things.

In Windows, you can leave your browser running and someone could format your hard drive from the other side of the world.

Note, I am not saying  UNIX is impervious.  I am saying that it is much more difficult to get a UNIX system to transparently deliver mass amounts of viruses to other computers without some type of direct intervention.


It basically boils down to the overall architecture of the two implementations.  Windows is very exposed and easily compromised by any application, and UNIX is not.

[Rolex]

but a guy can dream, right?

I sure wish AH was available through another OS. I know, I know... no dice, but I've been amazed at how well done OS X is. It really is elegent, intuitive and stable. And I was never a Mac 'fan.' Imagine AH2 with FSAA on an Apple Display?

Ah well... sorry for the off topic post.

[quig]

Skuzzy sent me a virus last month!

[FOGOLD]

Most people feel safe of they are running a virus scanner, but that will not stop a 'new type' of virus from infecting your computer. Virus scanners 'post-correct' their databases. The window to get the virus is always there.

Bottom line Skuzzy,I have effective av and firewall updated at all times and  adaware. If they get past there I might as well forget it and stop worrying. Back up your work data regularly. Do a scan now and again.

Jeez, there's more to life than worrying about it all the time. MY AV has saved me tens of times and if I've been hacked, as long as it's not disruptive they can carry on. They can't spend my credit card without me finding out eventually and insurance kicking in, or mine my bank account! There are no secrets on my PC.

You can never be completey safe short of never being online. I've thought about that too, because I think the web and e-commerce are way over-rated in terms of business and wealth creation. I have a business and if I'm honest most of my online time is still leisure.