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New Virus Attacks Via RAR Files

Posted by timothy on from the not-in-debian-yet dept.

sscottsci writes "A new article at eWeek indicates that Virus writers are using .RAR files to bypass Filters and Anti-Virus systems to infect computers. Most anti-virus software cannot scan a .RAR file, and most firewalls do not block the extension yet."

4 of 585 comments (clear)

  1. Well, duh. by baggachipz · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    .rar files can be self-extracting like zip files, so they pose the same security risk. I can't belive that nobody's exploited this until now.

  2. Re:Is this really a big deal? by Homology · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Well, I know of a few that do now... Seriously, is this that much of a threat? Winzip (AFAIK) doesn't handle Rar archives, and most users wouldn't know how to open one if they did find one in their inbox...

    Well, I do scan even .RAR files... Seriously, I use OpenBSD as a desktop so is this much of a threat? I mean, this "virus" thingy seems way overblown, at least for me.

  3. Re:Is this really a big deal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Seriously, I use OpenBSD as a desktop so is this much of a threat? I mean, this "virus" thingy seems way overblown, at least for me.

    Nobody gives a damn what OS you run. The majority of computer users do have problems with these viruses. When it happens to them, go ahead and keep your smugness to yourself.

  4. Re:A question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Computers or Computers running Windows?

    Computers not running Windows?! Thoughtcrime! Doubleplusungood!