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Win32/Linux Cross-Platform Virus

Posted by michael on from the 20-klez-a-day dept.

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.""

5 of 497 comments (clear)

  1. This is great news! by Mordant · · Score: 5, Funny

    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!

  2. Two Sided Sword by Myuu · · Score: 5, Funny

    [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.
  3. Finally software writers get it right. by athakur999 · · Score: 5, Funny

    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
  4. I'm sure, somewhere... by handsomepete · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...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.

  5. Re:Do antivirus companies write viruses? No. by gilroy · · Score: 5, Funny
    Blockquoth the poster:

    It is, of course, a very insulting question, like asking firemen if they start fires, or dentists if they're the cause of tooth decay.


    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