Hi Rick
 CC> You are going to look back in 20 years time, when they
 CC> have invented a virus proof file and then think of what
 CC> I have typed about files not getting infected, and then
 CC> you will realize that nothing is impossible :)
 RC> No, I'm not.  If you want to keep your beer cold, do you buy a
 RC> separate cooler for each bottle of beer, or do you put _all_ the beer
 RC> in _one_ cooler?
But if you had a centralized program to protect your
files so they will not be infected, that would be a good
idea, ThunderByte and other programs use the same method
but they don't make the files virus proof, they only
update the file ANTI-VIR.DAT info so the scanner knows if
something has changed.
 RC> An O/S which is properly written can prevent a virus infection - and
 RC> there are several operating systems _now_ that do just that.  The
 RC> programs don't have to be made "virus proof" because they are
 RC> protected by the OS.
But doesn't it make life a whole lot better once you
have vaccinated your programs you don't have to worry
about them again?  No more worrying about trying to
upkeep your Antivirus programs, and no more money
spent on Antivirus programs.
 CC> Then people would have to resort to programming bombs, instead
 CC> of viruses.
 CC> Program Bomb or a Batch bomb, are very hard to find,
 CC> how many scanners do you know which will check you
 CC> computer for bombs, I know of one, the ANSICHEK
 CC> series! Version 9.0, it finds hidden ANSI codes which
 CC> COULD redefine your keyboard to format your hard drive,
 CC> But is only for ANSI.
 RC> You know another type of ANSI bomb?  BTW, you don't need _anything_
 RC> special to detect an ANSI bomb - just a basic knowledge of ANSI
 RC> itself should provide enough clues.
The ANSI bomb can be built into a program, that means
that ANSI picture might not be separated into a ???.ANS,
meaning it is harder to check for bombs.
What do you call a basic knowledge of and ANSI?
Viewing it and formating your hard drive?
 RC> As for a "program bomb" - define what you mean by the term.
When you run a program which was made with a proper
programming language like ASM or PASCAL it formats
your hard drive.
 CC> And also how many people bother scanning for bombs,
 CC> you can really get someone of there guard, especialy
 CC> if you disguised a bomb in a BBS advertisement file.
 RC> If it's a text file, then it's an ANSI bomb you're talking about.
 RC> Who runs ANSI.SYS these days, anyway?  No-one I know.
Most BBS advertisement files are not text files, they
are full working programs to advertise there bbs,
like displaying GIF/ANSI pictures or scrolling text
and music.
So that is why it is very dangerous, because most
people like to run those advertising files.
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Regards  - CC -                         v
                          MailiUg AustTalia WidE 97!
CYA..
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