[Evolution] Definitive comments on LINUX viruses

["Anton J Aylward, CISSP" <aja si on ca>]

This isn't to say that other malware isn't possible, 
(the final comment on Ximian's red-carpet installer 
 very pertinent), but does make a few things clear:

David Skoll took a look at the real-world situation
and determined that the *NIX access control  and absence 
of 'auto execute' in *NIX MUAs means that social engineering 
is the only meaningful means of mail-borne malware attack.

Linux supporter challenges virus claim
http://www.vnunet.com/News/1127529
... which is the news article and which leads to 

 http://www.roaringpenguin.com/mimedefang/anti-virus.php3

I very strongly recommend you read this to see what the REAL 
virus threats are for a LINUX workstation.  Of course if you are
using LINUX a a mail gateway to a network of MS-Windows workstations
things are rather different.

As always, I strongly recommend spending time at Rob Rosenberger 
Computer Virus Myths site - http://www.vmyths.com 

/anton

See also:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cth950.htm

UK group slams Sophos Linux virus threat claims
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/12545.html

Is Linux immune to E-mail viruses -
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,75965,00.asp

The £10,000 Linux virus challenge
http://www.silicon.com/bin/bladerunner?REQUNIQ=1002928555&REQSESS=14275074&14001REQEVENT=&REQINT1=48211&REQAUTH=21046

The Short Life and Hard Times of a Linux Virus
http://sitereview.org/?article=43/

The Plausibility of UNIX Virus Attacks
http://www.cybersoft.com/whitepapers/index.shtml

(as an aside: if you are going to implement virus scanning 
 on Linux, even if this is a gateway for corporate use and
 has Windows workstations on the "inside", I'd strongly 
 recommend using VFIND
)

Building an E-mail Virus Detection System for Your Network
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=4882

The Virus 'Ambulance Chasers'
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,36464,00.html