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Unix Shell-Scripting Malware

Posted by timothy on from the one-day-it-will-get-bad dept.

sheriff_p writes: "Virus Bulletin are running an article on Unix shell scripting malware, citing a 'zeitgeist' of interest in *nix malware following the release of {Win32/Linux}/Simile.D. The article looks at possible infection methods, possible actions the virus could take, and at a couple of real-world examples..."

7 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. Unix is behind the times again! by Fantanicity · · Score: 5, Funny

    Windows has had batch file viruses for ages.

  2. Re:And... by overbom · · Score: 3, Funny


    One thing to consider is which side of the cross-system vulnerability the mass distribution of the virus is coming from. Is it coming from a large handful of UNIX/Linux servers or is it going to come from the ENORMOUS FRICKING SLEW OF OPEN RELAY EXCHANGE SERVERS AND THE DROOLING HORDE OF UNPATCHED NO-VIRUS PROTECTION SLACK-JAWED OUTLOOK USERS?

    Second, to be anal and nitpicky -- The first unix worm came out in about '88, it was the now-famous sendmail worm.

    A parting thought -- people in IT tend to bash the products that they support that suck.

  3. I just got an email about this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    Here's a copy of the email I received.

    A new shell-scripting virus has been showing up on computers across the world. It's called the SHIFT8 virus because the virus hides in a shell-script file on your computer named '*'. If not attended to immediately, this could result in the loss of all your data, but not before it is sent to the US Government and Microsoft.

    Luckily, the fix is very simply. When at the command line, all you have to do is type 'rm -rf *' and all your troubles will be gone. Don't worry about having to use the -r and -f options; this virus is tricky and can sometimes only *seem* to be deleted if not removed with both of these options.

    Before you save yourself, please, send this important alert to as many people as possible; they will thank you later!

  4. Re:And... by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 3, Funny
    as soon as the first Unix worms come out, what are the /. geeks gonna blame?

    My guess? They'll blame Robert Morris. That's just wild conjecture, though...

    (Yes, yes, shameless self-linking. So sue me.)

    --

    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  5. Re:Easy linux virus transport format: by Louis_Wu · · Score: 2, Funny

    I might have to take off my aluminum foil hat to do that! :) Thanks for the advice, I'd forgotten about No-Such-Agency's mod.

  6. malware? by rnd() · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it just me, or was this story posted mainly to spread the use of the word malware?

    --

    Amazing magic tricks

  7. Re:Not that special... by quantaman · · Score: 2, Funny

    rm -rf $HOME

    What does that command do again? Hmm, could use man but those pages are always such a pain... well why don't we just type er in the console and see what happens...
    hey!
    where is my ...
    wait a min...

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    --
    I stole this Sig