s0703pdb@semassu.bitnet (Paul Bienvenue) (10/26/89)
Damon Kelly writes: > Earlier this week I was reading a book by Peter Norton. There was >a passage about the importance of .OBJ files created by compilers >(esp. assembly). While I was pondering the importance of .OBJ files, >an idea hit me: since this type of file is non-executable and can only >run when linked, wouldn't self-attaching viruses be scrambled when the >"host" file is changed to an .EXE? It's a nice idea, but it wouldn't really stop virus writers, just make life a little more difficult for them. (and possibly for virus detectors as well) What would keep a virus writer from creating an obj which would become a virus when compiled? Also, it would be a real pain for users to have to compile every piece of software they were going to use. Anyone with much assembling experience would also know how difficult it is to write code which will successfully compile with all major assemblers. Good try, though... Paul Bienvenue S0703PDB@SEMASSU.BITNET
kerchen@iris.ucdavis.edu (Paul Kerchen) (10/30/89)
In article <0003.8910271112.AA11335@ge.sei.cmu.edu> s0703pdb@semassu.bitnet (Pa ul Bienvenue) writes: > [stuff about distributing OBJ files as anti-viral technique] > > It's a nice idea, but it wouldn't really stop virus writers, just >make life a little more difficult for them. That's the whole point: to make life more difficult for virus writers. The whole virus problem is NP complete, meaning that there is no way to ever completely solve it. For every protection scheme, there is a way to break it; just look at the copy protection war that has been going on for years now. Anyone who's in the virus business (either attacking or defending) had better know that they can never hope to create a virus/vaccine which is completely bulletproof. There will always be someone on the other side who will figure out a scheme to counter that virus/vaccine. Therefore, no solution should ever be ruled out simply on the basis that it cannot stop virus writers (I know that this isn`t the only reason Paul gave, but I just wanted to make this point). Stopping virus writers isn`t going to happen in software or hardware, but in societal pressure. (Perhaps some future first lady will make that her project: viruses--just say no. :-) ) Paul Kerchen | kerchen@iris.ucdavis.edu