Path: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.co   
   !nntp.giganews.com!news-in-01.newsfeed.easynews.com!easynews.com   
   easynews!easynews-local!fe10.news.easynews.com.POSTED!news.gates   
   of-hell.com!not-for-mail   
   Newsgroups: alt.os.linux.ubuntu   
   From: SINNER <99nesorjd@gates_of_hell.invalid>   
   Subject: Re: Linux/virus   
   References:       
   Organization: Hell.org   
   X-Face: #sn6gF@jD*I3X;_)M5ymNQ1wG39y^'rxXRA5y-oi7.T/>P.P-40N\&-q   
   Mu+DWRSTF[}`Vtd85KnX\fe1~p-<(9Uw=r"qdVdsY   
   @\.mDg9"ruPsYjX.Bi9M#gF-fG5=obWVG'>0W*w3RC   
   X-NNTP-Proxy: Leafnode-2    
   User-Agent: slrn/0.9.8.1pl1 (Debian)   
   Message-ID:    
   Lines: 59   
   X-Complaints-To: abuse@easynews.com   
   X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers otherwise   
   we will be unable to process your complaint properly.   
   Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:19:54 GMT   
   Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com alt.os.linux.ubuntu:11755   
      
   * Josiah Jenkins wrote in alt.os.linux.ubuntu:   
   > Whilst perusing Usenet on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:15:06 +0100, I read   
   > these words from maxx  :   
      
   [...]   
      
   >>Read this article:   
   >>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/06/linux_vs_windows_viruses/   
      
   >>This will clarify the misconception 'that Linux (and *BSD) make up such a   
   >>small fraction of desktop & basic user  machines that's it's not worth the   
   >>time of virus writers (spam kings, nutty teenage boys trying to get   
   >>revenge on the work for not giving them a girlfriend, etc...) to write   
   >>uni*x-based viri.'   
      
   >>Basically it boils down to 'monoculture'...   
      
   > Basically it boils down to 'having a clue' !   
      
   Ask 10 windows users what they use for email and you will likely get 8   
   users using Outlook or OE, ask 10 *nix users and you would get 8   
   different answers, that in itself is the reason virus writing cannot be   
   successful under *nix [security notwithstanding]   
      
   > "Linux user would have to read the email, save   
   > the attachment, give the attachment executable   
   > permissions, and then run the executable."   
      
   > Been doing that with Forte Agent under Win   
   > for the last ten years !   
      
   No you haven't because you don't have to make the file executable on   
   Windows, it comes that way and since you are running as root, regardless   
   of what that exe can do, you can run it.   
      
   > It's a perfectly straightforward job to keep   
   > a Win machine free of virii/viruses but the   
   > vast majority of users don't know how to.   
      
   Perfectly straightforward? I think not. The amount of upfront work   
   necessary, updates and the possibility of human error would disagree   
   with that statement. Is it possible, sure, is it easy and   
   straightforward? not on your life.   
      
   > It's a different user base from Linux.   
      
   The fact that Windows users run as root means a stupid mistake could   
   render a system utterly useless, even if a *nix machine were to contract   
   a hypothetical virus/trojan, it would be have a difficult time damaging   
   anything but that users files.   
      
   > -- jjj   
      
   the jjj should be underneath the dashdashspaceCR.   
      
   --    
   David   
   Debian Hint #7: You can use the cron-apt package to do automatic nightly   
   downloads of updates for packages installed on your system.   
   --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5   
    * Origin: Omicron Theta BBS (1:261/20)