Re: Hit by virus !? Help, please...
On Tue, 27 Apr 1999, Helge Hafting wrote:
>
> > I'm curious about virii and Linux...
> >
> > Am I wrong to assume that Linux is not immune to virii [...]
[...]
> If you want a real safe machine, make it linux only. No dos
> partition, no dos emulator. And set it up so it won't try booting
> from the floppy drive. (You can always change that back if you ever
> need to boot a floppy.) Such a machine will be immune until a
> linux virus is written. And a linux virus wouldn't be able
> to do much damage other than destroying the user's personal files.
There have been two known Linux viruses. The first was called "Staog",
and the second was called "Bliss". They haven't really made it far in the
wild, but they have been written.
I don't know much about Staog, but apparently it does try to subvert
root. Unless it's been updated the vulnerabilities probably have been
patched (it appeared in the fall of 1996).
More info on Staog at "http://infosec.navy.mil/TEXT/virus.html"; and
"http://www.datafellows.com/v-descs/staog.htm";.
Bliss is a less malicious virus that doesn't try to subvert root. It even
has a disinfect option; if you invoke an infected file with
"--bliss-disinfect-files-please", it will try to disinfect itself.
More information on Bliss is at
"http://www.datafellows.com/v-descs/bliss.htm";,
"http://www.njh.com/latest/9702/970204-06.html";, and
"http://www.tbtf.com/resource/bliss.html";.
Information on these viruses and Unix viruses in general is at
"http://www.csn.net/~bediger/virefs.html";.
Sincerely,
Ray Ingles (248) 377-7735 ray.ingles@fanucrobotics.com
"Something can be comprehensible, even comprehended, and still be
marvelous, wonderful, and valuable." - Me
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