-=> Steven Horn said to Greg Mayman
 -=> about "FTP07" on 04-30-03  23:46.....

 SH> If it took those companies that long, they'd be out of business very
 SH> quickly.  In the case of the Lovebug virus, we had updated McAfee virus
 SH> defintion files within an hour of the time the first infected file was
 SH> open.  

Did you mean the first infected file that arrived at YOUR
computer, or the first one at McAfee's?

Or the VERY first file in all the world, that carried that
particular virus?

There is no way McAfee could become aware of this virus until
either (1) they realized that it had arrived at one of their own
computers; or (2) someone outside the company notified them of
it.

Most likely by the time they knew of it, it had been around for
(hours? days?) and had been passed on by possibly millions of
users.

 SH> Unless there is a heuristic capacity built in.:->  Norton clainms that
 SH> its Worm Blocking and Script Blocking can detect new threats even
 SH> before new virus definitions are created for them.

They have learned a lot since they first started in the business.
 
 SH> That assumes that the script kiddies have the ability to reverse
 SH> engineer. 

Kiddies???? Don't underestimate the enemy! That way lies certain
defeat.

 SH> Do you wear a belt and suspenders?

A false analogy. No-one is trying to attack my trousers.

More to the point: Does a foot soldier carry a rifle, a side arm,
and grenades, rockets, as well as knives and a bayonet? Is he
backed up by ships, aircraft, tanks and missile batteries?

Why bother, if any one of those weapons by itself can kill enemy
personnel?

From Greg Mayman, in beautiful Adelaide, South Australia
   "Queen City of The South"    34:55 S  138:36 E

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