Linux Format forums

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

shifty_ben — Sun May 21, 2006 11:20 pm

Author: shifty_ben

Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:20 pm

Well as we all know a large proportion of the windows machines on the net are 'owned' by script kiddies

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

Rhakios — Sun May 21, 2006 10:49 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 10:49 pm

It's also the case that not all users of computers also own them.

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

nelz — Sun May 21, 2006 8:27 pm

Author: nelz

Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 8:27 pm

Only when the owner is a total pedant

Re: RE: An interesting concept

Steogede — Sun May 21, 2006 2:07 pm

Author: Steogede

Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 2:07 pm

nelz wrote:

I suppose the main flaw is that it is illegal in many countries, including the UK, to run software on a computer without the user's permission. The law doesn't differentiate between nice and nasty viruses.

Surely you mean the owner's permission

Re: An interesting concept

guy — Sun May 21, 2006 9:39 am

Author: guy

Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:39 am

shifty_ben wrote:

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1036928739;fp;2;fpid;1

An interesting concept really,

I don't get that original article. The thing is designed to wipe out all your P2P downloads, subvert your security software, and steal your head. What's "beneficial" about that? Are Sophos being sarcastic? Or do they know something we don't about the originator of the code, and daren't offend?

Anyway, why not check out your XP licensing agreement and online update settings? No Sony CDs in your collection? Not signed-up to any "beneficial" trojans or rootkits then? Phew!

Re: RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

MartyBartfast — Fri May 19, 2006 2:12 pm

Author: MartyBartfast

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 2:12 pm

CJLL wrote:

How about a return of the really nasty virus that totals your system forcing you to reinstall from scratch. All the muppets who currently don't keep their computers secure would soon be educated, after all pain is the most effective teacher of all.

Hmm, and if they did a bit of research into viruses before reinstalling they'd reallise that they're gonna be much better off trashing their Windows installation and putting Linux on instead!

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

jjmac — Fri May 19, 2006 11:55 am

Author: jjmac

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 11:55 am

In my win OSR2 once, a few years ago, i was just calmly doing something or other when this popup flashed up on my screen. It was all in upper case red type declaring itself as representing a company called "RedSherif.com", or something to that effect.

If i went to their site i could purchase sw that would protect my computer from unsolicited sw and add popus downloading themselves. (grin) bloody hide ah !

I just sat there looking at it and thought "What !" ....

jm
Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed !

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

pins — Fri May 19, 2006 6:56 am

Author: pins

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 6:56 am

Someone tried this, a kid in germany. If you search around on theregister you might be able to dig it up. He wrote a virus that was attacking and removing other virii, but he messed it up, so it was damaging ppls computers, too.

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

CJLL — Wed May 17, 2006 10:22 pm

Author: CJLL

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:22 pm

How about a return of the really nasty virus that totals your system forcing you to reinstall from scratch. All the muppets who currently don't keep their computers secure would soon be educated, after all pain is the most effective teacher of all.

Re: RE: An interesting concept

GMorgan — Wed May 17, 2006 2:44 pm

Author: GMorgan

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:44 pm

spottedcat wrote:

Now here's an idea for a socially-responsible virus. Imagine this: a virus that first checks to see if there is a virus-checker and enabled firewall on the system. If there isn't, it keeps popping up a window telling the user to install anti-virus/firewall software, and delivers a lecture on the dangers of unprotected systems. The only way the user can get rid of this nuisance is to install anti-virus software to zap it. If the virus is self-replicating it will slowly reduce the pool of unprotected systems. But that's only the beginning:

Isn't that essentially XP SP2 security center. It nagged me for ages because I wouldn't allow automatic spyware installations from MS.

RE: Re: RE: An interesting concept

spottedcat — Wed May 17, 2006 2:12 pm

Author: spottedcat

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:12 pm

Oh, I agree, nelz. The idea's thoroughly illegal. I wasn't suggesting it should be done, merely exploring a pleasant hypothetical fantasy. And taking up your point about 'nice' and 'nasty', the concept of virus was originally borrowed from the field of biology. In the natural world 'nice' viruses and bacteria often mutate into something altogether not nice. But I doubt whether that would deter most virus coders. My phrase 'socially-responsible virus' is an oxymoron, or at least 'socially-responsible virus-writer' would be.

Having said that, I doubt whether notions of illegality would deter some companies.

Re: RE: An interesting concept

Nigel — Wed May 17, 2006 1:34 pm

Author: Nigel

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 1:34 pm

nelz wrote:

... or even DRM schemes (Sony)

But then again, if Microsoft were to do something like this, I'm sure it would be covered by one or other of the EULAs you have to accept to get XP updates.

RE: An interesting concept

nelz — Wed May 17, 2006 12:53 pm

Author: nelz

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:53 pm

I suppose the main flaw is that it is illegal in many countries, including the UK, to run software on a computer without the user's permission. The law doesn't differentiate between nice and nasty viruses.

RE: An interesting concept

spottedcat — Wed May 17, 2006 12:26 pm

Author: spottedcat

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:26 pm

Now here's an idea for a socially-responsible virus. Imagine this: a virus that first checks to see if there is a virus-checker and enabled firewall on the system. If there isn't, it keeps popping up a window telling the user to install anti-virus/firewall software, and delivers a lecture on the dangers of unprotected systems. The only way the user can get rid of this nuisance is to install anti-virus software to zap it. If the virus is self-replicating it will slowly reduce the pool of unprotected systems. But that's only the beginning:

Stage 2 - If the virus discovers that it's host is a spam zombie it locks it up solid so that it's unusable. All the user sees is an information window. To get the machine going again the user has to get a utility which will remove the virus, all other viruses AND the trojan. It won't be long before the likes of Norton get something onto the market. In the meantime, although to the user the machine appears to be locked up, the benign virus is still propagating itself in the background across the net to other unprotected systems.

I don't think there are any logical flaws in this, but no doubt someone will soon tell me if there is. Wouldn't be surprised if one of the main anti-virus software companies might (secretly) commission such a virus. It'd be good for business.

Any coders in the house......

RE: An interesting concept

GMorgan — Wed May 17, 2006 7:02 am

Author: GMorgan

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:02 am

Prehaps in time people will make a virus that deactivates DRM. Then we can all deactivate that part of our virus scanner and be the innocent victims who've horribly been forced into the position where their MP3's would work on any machine.