mriley@pnet02.cts.com (Mark Riley) (08/23/88)
We're up to VirusX 1.71 now, huh? Well, I guess that's to be expected
since the only thing these virus killer programs do is spur on the
virus writers. Isn't it plain by now that this is a war that nobody
can win? Perhaps if the writer's of the virus killer programs stopped
now, the virus writers would lose much of their incentive to write
ever newer viruses that beat the latest virus killers. I made similar
comments to Bill Koester on BIX concerning his virus killer program
which were quickly ignored. It's now many months later and the
situation seems to have taken a turn in the direction I predicted
earlier. Too bad. Personally, I haven't encountered viruses or
used the virus killer programs. Many people I have spoken with
haven't either. I imagine there is some sort of correlation between
the types of activities you use your Amiga for and whether or not
you've encountered a virus. If that's the case, then "education"
would be a much better defense against viruses than a virus killer.
(Come to think of it, wouldn't it be easy for a virus writer to
detect the presence of a specific virus killer and perform it's
mischieviousness if it were present? Just a weird thot...) In any
case, I just thought I'd reiterate my earlier comments here on
different ears. -Mark-
P.S. Another weird thot: Perhaps it's better that these virus
writers take out their aggressions on computer data instead
of committing some other crime. Like I said, just another
weird thot... ;-) (Gee, I spelled that word right 1 out
of 4 times! ;-)
UUCP: {ames!elroy, <backbone>}!crash!gryphon!pnet02!mriley
INET: mriley@pnet02.cts.com
"Hey, I don't _use_ programs, I write them..." ;-)peter@sugar.uu.net (Peter da Silva) (08/24/88)
If everyone used software condoms and didn't boot other people's disks this sort of thing wouldn't happen. Then people would go back to putting viruses in xxunarc V3.6 where a swift kick in the C-A-A would knock them out. -- Peter da Silva `-_-' peter@sugar.uu.net Have you hugged U your wolf today?
ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (08/24/88)
In article <5819@gryphon.CTS.COM> mriley@pnet02.cts.com (Mark Riley) writes: >We're up to VirusX 1.71 now, huh? Well, I guess that's to be expected >since the only thing these virus killer programs do is spur on the >virus writers. Isn't it plain by now that this is a war that nobody >can win? [ ... ] I've heard this argument before. It's the same one that's been levelled against copy protection. >[If the virus-killer authors stopped now,] >the virus writers would lose much of their incentive to write >ever newer viruses that beat the latest virus killers. If purveyors of copy protection stopped devising new and more complex methods of protecting software, the pirates would lose interest in breaking the software and life would be wonderful. It goes on (trust me, it does go on. Please do not prove it or ask for it to be proven). Mark: I'm not flaming you; you bring up a valid point. The trouble is that, once the war has started, it's next to impossible to stop it. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Leo L. Schwab -- The Guy in The Cape INET: well!ewhac@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU \_ -_ Recumbent Bikes: UUCP: pacbell > !{well,unicom}!ewhac O----^o The Only Way To Fly. hplabs / (pronounced "AE-wack") "Work FOR? I don't work FOR anybody! I'm just having fun." -- The Doctor
jimm@amiga.UUCP (Jim Mackraz) (08/25/88)
In article <5819@gryphon.CTS.COM> mriley@pnet02.cts.com (Mark Riley) writes:
)We're up to VirusX 1.71 now, huh? Well, I guess that's to be expected
)since the only thing these virus killer programs do is spur on the
)virus writers. Isn't it plain by now that this is a war that nobody
)can win? Perhaps if the writer's of the virus killer programs stopped
)now, the virus writers would lose much of their incentive to write
)ever newer viruses that beat the latest virus killers. I made similar
)comments to Bill Koester on BIX concerning his virus killer program
)which were quickly ignored. It's now many months later and the
)situation seems to have taken a turn in the direction I predicted
)earlier. Too bad. Personally, I haven't encountered viruses or
)used the virus killer programs. Many people I have spoken with
)haven't either. I imagine there is some sort of correlation between
)the types of activities you use your Amiga for and whether or not
)you've encountered a virus. If that's the case, then "education"
)would be a much better defense against viruses than a virus killer.
)(Come to think of it, wouldn't it be easy for a virus writer to
)detect the presence of a specific virus killer and perform it's
)mischieviousness if it were present? Just a weird thot...) In any
)case, I just thought I'd reiterate my earlier comments here on
)different ears. -Mark-
Hey, Mark's right. I've read about more classic viruses, which would
not be detected by anything in the present day. You can read about
these in context of other larger computer systems. To prevent against
them requires very large-system procedures. You don't want them.
I agree that publicity--even be it announcement or discussion of virus
protection programs--is part of the problem.
Mark will be cheered by knowing that we have rejected the
numerous calls to "add some virus protection to AmigaDOS/Exec."
Write protect your disks, download VirusXYZ.9999 or whatever, and knock
yourselves out. Just think of the little plastic envelope a new disk
comes in as a condom. You never take it out, it will never be infected.
Continue to lavish praise on the creative hackers, and ignore the virus
weenies. Perhaps they will turn to less anonymous forms of glory, like
writing public domain-source incl. Sonix players or something ;^)
jimm
Practice Safe Hex
--
Jim Mackraz, I and I Computing
amiga!jimm BIX:jmackraz
Opinions are my own. Comments regarding the Amiga operating system, and
all others, are not to be taken as Commodore official policy.