Virus Issue 2

Shawn Christopher schristopheraz at gmail.com
Sat Mar 26 07:21:53 UTC 2005


On Sat, 2005-03-26 at 08:53 +0200, Andre Truter wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 14:49:11 -0500, Jason Straight
> <jason at jeetkunedomaster.net> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > I totally agree that linux isn't a virus magnet by any means like windows is,
> > but eventually - as popularity grows - we will see more l33t script coders
> > trying to make a name for themselves. They probably won't be very successful,
> > but they'll still do it. They've already proven they have no life by writing
> > viruses in the first place.
> > 
> 
> Yes, I am sure the number of virus attempts for Linux will increase,
> but at this stage I think people are focusing on the wrong place.
> Windows has grown the perception that all computers are vulnerable to
> viruses

I think that is mainly because the "public" as far as all intensive
purposes is concerned is Windows. When is the last time you seen a
Linspire *pukes* or Debian commercial for home users?

>  and that our main concern should be protection against
> viruses. The Anti-Virus companies are riding this wave and promoting
> the idea so they can sell mainly useless software to people.

Trust me I work second tier for an ISP while the only thing we support
is Windows....trust me it's not useless compare one computer not
infected to a computer that is infected

>   It is
> like selling sand in the desert.
> The proplem is that people with Linux boxes are now focusing all thier
> effort on virus protection, while nobody is looking at the more
> realistic problem of being attacked by a cracker.

My view point...all in the same...one thing I have noticed is that
viruses are doing it all nowadays. No longer is there just three types
of threats (Virus, Trojan, and Spyware) but they are all doing the same
thing just depends on who writes it.

> 
> So, the whole Linux virus scare is not helping Linux users, but rather
> fooling them into looking away from the real threats.
> 
> I am not saying that we should just ignore the virus situation.  We
> should definately keep tabs on what is happening in the world of Linux
> viruses and then when it does become a real problem, we can be ready
> to face it.
> 
> At this stage though, scaring people with Linux viruses are doing more
> damage than any good.

It's going to come one day. The more you try to make Linux more popular
the more it is going to attract that kind of attention. Kinda the "If
you build it they will come" syndrome. If Linspire hadn't been such a
big joke and kinda fizzled outa the media then someone woulda wrote a
virus for it. Let Linux go 3D (I know there is supposed to be a distro
that does) and demo it like Windows makes commercials and just watch
these kids try to break it....it'll happen

> 
> People should focus on teaching decent secutity habits, like NOT
> running as root, using good passwords, protecting your passwords,
> usiing a firewall, not installing anything you find on the net, etc.
> Hopefully we can prevent the mass acceptance of insecure linux
> distro's in this way.
> 

I have to agree here...Mac, Windows, Linux....it's just good common
sense.

> 
> -- 
> Andre Truter | Software Engineer | Registered Linux user #185282
> ICQ #40935899 | AIM: trusoftzaf | http://www.trusoft.za.org
> 
> ~ A dinosaur is a salamander designed to Mil Spec ~
> 

Shawn






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