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Win32/Linux Cross-Platform Virus
An Anonymous Coward writes "Symantec reports on the first virus to infect both ELF and PE binaries on Linux and Win32. "The first Win32/Linux cross-infector, {Win32,Linux}/Peelf, uses two separate routines to carry out the infection on PE and ELF files. This variant of Simile shares a substantial amount of code between the two infection functions, such as the polymorphic/metamorphic engines, the only platform-specific parts being the directory traversal code and the API usage.""
While working to convince many of my friends and colleagues to give Linux a try, one of the most vexing hurdles I've come across is the following:
Me: "Dude, you should really try Linux! It's fast,
it's free, it's really secure - and, best of
all, you get all the source code, so you can
see how it -really- works, and even contribute
your own code, if you want."
Dude: "Is there antivirus software for Linux?"
Me: "Well, no - Linux doesn't have viruses,
per se, so there's no need for antivirus
software!"
Dude: "My bosses won't let us run any boxes
which don't have antivirus software
installed. Let me know when I can buy
antivirus software for Linux."
So, now that we have virii on Linux, we'll soon have antivirus software, and I can show my friends yet another way in which Linux has caught up with Windows!
more and more windows fucntions everyday. Hopefully this new feature encourages some more switchover to linux.
True genius is grasping a situation like a peice of fruit, and peircing it just right so that it drains dry.
[root@bigassopendomain /]./virus /]
"virus" requires the following dependancies
libinfect.so
libcrash.so
please check the path and filenames and try again
[root@bigassopendomain
forget it.
Well, looks like this does not affect those using Linux on PowerPC, Sun, or any of the other platforms supported.
On a lighter note, if this virus were open source it would compile to the other platforms. Someone should post a link to the Sourceforge page, with links to source tarballs as well as Debian and RPM packages.
No crossingover to this platform
You mean virues, or software in general?
My Linux/Windows Boxes have been virus free because I'm not retarded enought to "Click here for sexy virgins!"
This one is not sexually transmitted.
"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them." -- George H. W. Bush
Usually when a company releases a software package, it comes out on Windows first. Those running Linux usually have to wait a few months for a Linux port to be released, if it ever does at all.
I praise this virus writer for releasing Windows and Linux versions of the software simultaneously. If only other companies would follow their lead.
"People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
...there's a group of people trying to get Windows-only virii to run via wine to see if they can get faster infection times under Linux.
True story: My dentist, when I was a kid, would give out lollipops. Pure sugar, artificially-colored, decay-inducing lollipops. Swear to God.
The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach