Hi Rick
 CC> But if you had a centralized program to protect your
 CC> files so they will not be infected, that would be a good
 CC> idea, ThunderByte and other programs use the same method
 CC> but they don't make the files virus proof, they only
 CC> update the file ANTI-VIR.DAT info so the scanner knows if
 CC> something has changed.
 RC> Read my lips: a secure operating system is what exists today to
 RC> prevent virus infections.  There is simply no _need_ for each program
 RC> to offer it's own protection when the OS can do the whole job itself.
Na Na Na Read my lips: the argument was for the future not
now, now the O/S is good method of making sure that viruses
don't get on you machine, but what the topic is about is, if
it is possible to vaxernate the files once and that is it for
the files life period.
 cc> But doesn't it make life a whole lot better once you have
 cc> vaccinated your programs you don't have to worry about them
 cc> again? No more worrying about trying to upkeep your Antivirus
 cc> programs, and no more money spent on Antivirus programs.
 RC> There are _no_ AV programs that run on the operating systems I'm
 RC> referring to, because there is _no_ chance of an infection occuring
 RC> in the first place.
So what you are saying is that your computer will never
get infected because you have a good Operating System.
 CC> What do you call a basic knowledge of and ANSI?
 CC> Viewing it and formating your hard drive?
 RC> A basic knowledge of the ANSI command syntax is all you need to
 RC> determine if a particular text file contains an ANSI bomb.
What happens if you can't view the TEXT file, because it
is in an .EXE file, lets say you know what the file is,
but what you didn't realize is that the person has put some
codes in it so it will format you hard drive, but you ran
it normally unexpectedly, because I for one not going to
try and work the compiled .EXE files to look for format
codes.
 CC> When you run a program which was made with a proper
 CC> programming language like ASM or PASCAL it formats
 CC> your hard drive.
 RC> That's a piece of malware.  There is a defense.  Don't run programs
 RC> when you don't know the source.
In what way do you mean _source_?
 rc> If it's a text file, then it's an ANSI bomb you're talking
 rc> about. Who runs ANSI.SYS these days, anyway? No-one I know.
 cc> Most BBS advertisement files are not text files, they are full
 cc> working programs to advertise there bbs, like displaying
 cc> GIF/ANSI pictures or scrolling text and music.
 cc> So that is why it is very dangerous, because most
 cc> people like to run those advertising files.
 RC> I have better things to do with my time.
In what way?  That was only one example, it might
not be in bbs advertising, it could be in a microsoft
internet software pack, which you downloaded it from
a bbs, but the person replaces the installation file with
a fully working version of a the same installation file
which they made up, but it formats you hard drive instead.
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Regards  - CC -                         v
                          MailiUg AustTalia WidE 97!
CYA..
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