Re: Issues in switching to Debian
On Mon, 12 Oct 1998, Helge Hafting wrote:
> In <[🔎] Pine.GSO.3.95q.981009131338.29478G-100000@jupiter>, on 10/09/98
> at 01:16 PM, " Raymond A. Ingles" <inglesra@frc.com> said:
>
> [...]
> > No, a boot-sector virus essentially runs under the BIOS. This *can*
> >infect a Linux machine but I find it difficult to believe that Linux
> >would still boot in such a circumstance.
>
> A boot virus could spread during boot (i.e. infect other partitions and
> floppies) while LILO load the kernel. The virus would end as soon as the
> kernel loads, and would be unable to mess with linux executables. Linux
> might still boot if the virus doesn't try to mess with the kernel being
> loaded.
That last part is tricky, though, from what I hear. I've never heard of a
boot sector virus that didn't assume that what was on the MBR was a
standard DOS/Win boot sector. Since they don't expect LILO, they tend to
trash it pretty thoroughly. LILO's actually reputed to be a halfway decent
virus detector that way. :->
Sincerely,
Ray Ingles (248) 377-7735 ray.ingles@fanucrobotics.com
"One of the main reasons for the downfall of the Roman Empire was that,
lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination of
their C programs." - Robert Firth
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