Hello Kurt!
Lundi Avril 28 1997 14:25, Kurt Wismer wrote to Asher Densmore-Lynn:
 AD>> "Gee, my Linux kernel and COMMAND.COM are both up by 172 kb! Whoa."
 KW>> gee, did i possibly just say BOOT INFECTORS? they infect the
 AD>> I know, it was just an example. It'd have the same problems trying to
 AD>> do anything useful to a Linux (LILO) MBR -- stealth viruses would be a
 AD>> joke.
 KW> viruses tend not to try to do useful things... and as far as what
 KW> they'll do on a linux platform, it would be rather unpleasant for all
 KW> but those simple generic boot infectors... one_half would definitely
 KW> cause a lot of problems...
By the conception of Linux, No BOOT viruses can remain resident...
1) all interrupt vectors are overwritten (the old address is LOST !!!)
2) all I/O is done directly by the kernel, without using the BIOS
3) Linux grab all the memory for it's own use and, if a chunk of memory is  
somehow hidden by a virus, it won't be executable (protected mode)
So a boot virus can come to the computer but can't spread from it... A minor 
DOS virus check will remove it from the boot record...
Other viruses can't infect Linux as they are DOS executable based.
Linux specific viruses can't spread on the system except for the security 
holes. And the task of a good UN*X administrator is to remove these holes...
If the process if not executed by root (and root should only be used to setup 
the system, not to run applications) it can't do much damage...
Denis
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