Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 19:01:59 -0400 From: Louis LeBlanc <leblanc+freebsd@acadia.ne.mediaone.net> To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: just how many known viruses are there for FreeBSD? Message-ID: <20010801190159.M56755@acadia.ne.mediaone.net> In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.2.20010801183730.018f6610@pop.voyager.net> References: <20010801221246.52013.qmail@web14608.mail.yahoo.com> <5.0.2.1.2.20010801183730.018f6610@pop.voyager.net>
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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 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 known > as a "cracker" or "script-kiddie" trying for breach your system and 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. > > > >===== > >"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 ԿԬ 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
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