Re: Viruses

["Marco Fonseca" <mfonseca yorku ca>]

Good points.
In addition, let's not forget that at the moment virus attacks are as random
as is the fact that Linux is open source and politically progressive
(really!!!). I mean, the explicit target of most viruses -to my knowledge-
is the Wintel complex. This is not and could not be a coincidence or the
desing of corrupt minds intent on destroying the networked/stand-alone
desktops that run the world of capitalism (stuff like that, anyhow). For the
same reason, I submit, virus harckers are not targeting Linux yet, at least
not any way or to the same extent as they're attacking just about everything
else. But I think, no, I'm convinced, they day Linux turns into a
commercially-driven (i.e. profit-driven) and thus semi-proprietary (if not
the kernel and apps, then the distributions, packaging, etc.) on a massive
scale, then, behold... VIRUS ATTACK.

Marco Fonseca

----- Original Message -----
From: Roger Vaughn <rvaughn@pobox.com>
To: Gnome List <gnome-list@gnome.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 6:28 PM
Subject: RE: Viruses


> Excellent, well-considered reply!
>
> Perhaps the offending gentleman would like to consider that most virus
> traffic originated on UNIX-based systems many years ago, long before
Windows
> became popular.  Until recently, in fact, the most damaging virii, worms,
> call them what you will, attacked internet mail (traditionally served by
> UNIX boxes) and UNIX systems in general.  Recall the Morris worm which
> brought the 'net to its knees by overloading every system it could reach.
> Root access was not necessary - the worm merely spawned itself mercilessly
> until processors could handle no more.
>
> Windows is the more popular target currently only because of its
> proliferation and the pure fun of MS bashing.  Expect the *serious* virus
> coders to go after Linux soon.  (And consider that Linux is a much simpler
> target since it is more highly standardized the traditional UNIXes and
runs
> on limited set of hardware.)
>
> Perhaps the gentleman would also like to consider that not everyone thinks
> the way he does.  Virus coders *do* in fact go in for wanton data
> destruction for the pure thrill of it.
>
> rog
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rasaki Bidemi Bolanle Temidire
> > [mailto:bidemi@CR505412-A.ktchnr1.on.wave.home.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 6:12 PM
> > To: GNOME Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: Viruses
> >
> >
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > You know, Linux has made great strides in the recent years to reach
> > more and more people and let them know that they do have an
> > alternative to the usual garbage they pay too much money for at their
> > local Microsoft retailor.  I think that one of the reasons this has come
> > about is that people, non-technical people, are starting to feel
> > welcomed in the discussions that concern the future of Linux and the
> > software projects associated with it.
> >
> > If it weren't for a classmate of mine tuning me into the whole Linux
> > thing, I would have been stuck paying a lot of hard earned money for bad
> > software.  He took his time to explain things to me and did not make
> > feel "stupid".  I quickly learned the ropes and here I am at kernel
> > 2.2.10 after starting with kernel 0.9x.x.
> >
> > GNOME is trying to bring some more of those people, like myself, in from
> > the cold.  Your attitude is not going to help matters!  Berating people
> > in a public forum is not a good way to make them feel welcomed in the
> > discussion.  Not all points are valid but they do deserve to be heard.
> > People, technically inclined or not, do deserve the common decency and
> > respect of having their opinions heard and acknowledged when they make
> > the effort to come forth with them.  This is how things like GNOME are
> > made better release after release.
> >
> > Please don't make comments like this again.  I want Linux and GNOME and
> > all other free software movement projects to thrive.  I want more
> > people to tune into the alternatives to Microsoft.  Good discussion is
> > the first step towards these goals.
> >
> > Bidemi Temidire
> >
> > On  6 Jul, jasta wrote:
> > > You are stupid.  There can't exactly be too damn many "viruses"
> > (most are
> > > called exploits anyway because UNIX people don't wanna destroy
> > files they wanna
> > > own them) because nobody is stupid enough to run anything as root.
> > >
> > > On Tue, 06 Jul 1999, lauris@ariman.ee wrote:
> > >> This topic is more general, but as GNOME seems to be concerned
> > >> about ease of use it should adress it somehow.
> > >>
> > >> As soon, as Linux (BSD etc.) will become mainstream we are
> > >> probably facing a load of viruses (trojans, worms etc.).
> > >> These will start to proliferate the same way they do in WinMac
> > >> world for the simple reason that all installing in unix have
> > >> to be done as superuser.
> > >> Until now most Linux users have been a kind of hackers, who
> > >> know, what they do. But things start to change... And the
> > >> average users are always willing to download strange binary
> > >> programs from the dark corners of net.
> > >>
> > >> Does anybody have a good solution? Or am I a bit paranoic?
> > >>
> > >> I have currently following ideas:
> > >> 1. Force the use of signed packages (seems a bit oppressive)
> > >> 2. All installers should default to executing scripts/programs
> > >>    from installable package only if these are signed and trusted.
> > >>    The same requirement stands for installing suid root binaries.
> > >>
> > >> Lauris Kaplinski
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >>         FAQ: Frequently-Asked Questions at
> http://www.gnome.org/gnomefaq
> >>          To unsubscribe: mail gnome-list-request@gnome.org with
> >>                        "unsubscribe" as the Subject.
> >
> >
>
> --
> "And politics is like war.  It takes three things to win.  The first is
> money and the second is money and the third is money."
> - Joe Kane
>
>
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