I just read this on slashdot. I know it is totally OT, but it is so funny that
*literally* fell out of my chair.
-Roberto
(These were posted in the thread about the new W32.Sobig.E@mm worm going
around)
SUBJECT: To be honest...
I can't really see how it's microsofts fault. Reading about it, it comes in a
zip file, the user has to get the zip, extract it and then execute the payload.
Is it just me or is this more like social engineering than a real problem with
the system?
[This is the reply)
SUBJECT: MOD PARENT UP + read my insightful comments ;-)
As the parent poster said, a malicious person trying to do maximum damage would
write for Windows. The Mac is the next best choice because, like Windows, you
don't have big binary compatability problems.
Linux is tougher to write this kind of thing for because it would require that
the user perform so many steps. First the user would have to extract the tar
file from the gzip file. Then he would have to expand the tar archive onto his
hard drive, which would put the source there. Then the user would cd to the
location where the source extracted. Then he would probably have to set various
environment variables. Then he would have to run gmake. Then he would need to
interpret the error messages to determine why the build didn't work. Then he
would have to find and add various development tools and libraries to his
system, adding any environment variables that they needed. Then he could try
building again. When he finally got the build to work, he could then run the
resulting executable, which would tell him to to type "man {trojan/worm name}.
The man page would show various command line switches for specifying the e-mail
client being used and various network options. Then the user would construct
the proper command line to run the program and WHAM! Just like that, his system
is infected.
I may have left out a few steps or so, but you get the idea...
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