The Truth About Computer Viruses

[jimnyc]

A decent video about computer viruses. It's all good knowledge until the end, when they say not having an anti-virus program at all is the answer. While I agree that the competition ends up creating a lot, you'll only fall to their crap if you have none at all.

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[jafar00]

I just run Linux. No virus checker is necessary. The whole system is more secure. Virus writers don't bother with Linux since at most, they can cause damage to a single user account. The main part of the OS remains untouched unless they can trick the user into granting root access which would usually require an amount of social engineering. Why go to all that trouble to infect a single linux box when you can infect a million windows machines with a few lines of code and no further interaction?

[jimnyc]

I just run Linux. No virus checker is necessary. The whole system is more secure. Virus writers don't bother with Linux since at most, they can cause damage to a single user account. The main part of the OS remains untouched unless they can trick the user into granting root access which would usually require an amount of social engineering. Why go to all that trouble to infect a single linux box when you can infect a million windows machines with a few lines of code and no further interaction?

But if some linux security experts wanted to, I'm sure they could think of ways to do similar on those machines. But the majority is open source and not run by "big business", so they're generally not a target. Even back in my old Unix days you were fairly safe unless someone was granted root access. Of course I did my own damage, as I had to have root access to perform my job. But linux has had it's share of infections, just much, much, much lower than the others, but it shows it's possible. And also, being open source and driven differently than the big guys, nightly updates aren't unheard of in order to fix problems.

Just you wait, young man, it's coming to your neighborhood one day soon!

(Off topic, I recently got a version of Linux running bootable off of my USB stick. You familiar with Linux Mint?)

[aboutime]

I just run Linux. No virus checker is necessary. The whole system is more secure. Virus writers don't bother with Linux since at most, they can cause damage to a single user account. The main part of the OS remains untouched unless they can trick the user into granting root access which would usually require an amount of social engineering. Why go to all that trouble to infect a single linux box when you can infect a million windows machines with a few lines of code and no further interaction?

Keep on thinking, and believing all that you said jafar. If you are convinced, because you are a Linux user, that you are safer than everyone else on the Internet. PLEASE DO...keep thinking that.

Oh, by the way. If you have any electronic capabilities to receive, or send messages...email, or other online actions.

Let us know how SECURE you think you are.

Just a suggestion. You remind me of George W. Bush, when he said "He looked into Putin's eyes, and saw an HONORABLE man".

[jafar00]

But if some linux security experts wanted to, I'm sure they could think of ways to do similar on those machines. But the majority is open source and not run by "big business", so they're generally not a target. Even back in my old Unix days you were fairly safe unless someone was granted root access. Of course I did my own damage, as I had to have root access to perform my job. But linux has had it's share of infections, just much, much, much lower than the others, but it shows it's possible. And also, being open source and driven differently than the big guys, nightly updates aren't unheard of in order to fix problems.

Just you wait, young man, it's coming to your neighborhood one day soon!

(Off topic, I recently got a version of Linux running bootable off of my USB stick. You familiar with Linux Mint?)

I've been running Linux since 1994. Still safe

Yes I know Mint. It's an offshoot from Ubuntu. I have Ubuntu at work but I use Gentoo on my laptop just for fun. It's configurable to the minute detail and I'm running a kernel compiled just for my machine alone so it's extremely efficient.

Which Mint Desktop did you choose? I would choose LXDE over Cinnamon or Mate.

Keep on thinking, and believing all that you said jafar. If you are convinced, because you are a Linux user, that you are safer than everyone else on the Internet. PLEASE DO...keep thinking that.

Oh, by the way. If you have any electronic capabilities to receive, or send messages...email, or other online actions.

Let us know how SECURE you think you are.

Just a suggestion. You remind me of George W. Bush, when he said "He looked into Putin's eyes, and saw an HONORABLE man".

Come hack me bro!

[gabosaurus]

DP is plagued by a couple of viruses in particular.

[aboutime]

I've been running Linux since 1994. Still safe

Yes I know Mint. It's an offshoot from Ubuntu. I have Ubuntu at work but I use Gentoo on my laptop just for fun. It's configurable to the minute detail and I'm running a kernel compiled just for my machine alone so it's extremely efficient.

Which Mint Desktop did you choose? I would choose LXDE over Cinnamon or Mate.



Come hack me bro!

No need. You are already a HACK.