Slashdot Mirror
CDROM-Based Virus Scanners?
cheros asks: "Pretty much every virus checker I've seen requires installation of a couple of MB worth of data on the HD. However, in a controlled or accredited environment (say, a hospital) installation of external software can invalidate the build, and the checking process can adversely affect timing (in, say, plant control systems), so I'm looking for a virus checker that works from a CD. This obviously means the CD needs updating when new signatures come out, but at least it's a 'hands off' sweep of the system that can be done during maintenance down-time (and assures me that the virus software itself can't compromised). The only workaround I have at the moment is that critical system files can be checksummed to prove integrity (MD5 is your friend ;] ). That's OK for the systems that are fairly static (no, not blue screened, less data changes on the disk =] ), but systems where config data changes (say, a DDNS) are less easy to check. It's mostly a Windows problem (with &^$$& locked files being a pain), but the same situation can arise on any platform. Got any ideas?"
Although i am unfamiliar with any CD based anti-virus software, you could always install the software onto a removable usb harddisk, even a keychain drive and run the software from the drive, leaving the primary disk more or less untouched (hopefuly less).
Yawn.
I used to work for a company in the SouthEastern United States, currently called Avid Solutions, Formerally called Carolina Instermentation Corp/Electrical Maintence Overflow Comp. (cic/emoc). Every Control System that I have ever seen them put together was setup a perticular way.
1. Locked down OS. In NT, this involved Policies, in most cases, Auto logins, and quite a bit of registery editing.
2. Seperated Network. The control networks were allways on their own network. In many cases, a main network, and a backup network.
3. No internet access.
4. No access to the floppy/cdrom unless your an administrator, hell, explorer dosen't even load, only the control application.
Perhaps you need to look at your setup and make some changes if your worried about viruses.
I know that similar posts have been made, but I don't think this can be expressed enough!!!
You shouldn't need AV software in the systems you describe. These should not require direct access to an untrusted network...there is no reason why someone should be installing their own software on the system...and the systems should be designed as such (no direct access...a locked cabinet is a good idea here, and secondary/tertiary networks for workstation access to data)...if you really must have mission critical systems open to viruses, and you are using standard peecee hardware, you could always try an Antivirus PCI Card.
I guess this might be another advantage of using Linux for mission critical apps...chances are the employees don't have access to software...