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Ambidextrous Linux/Windows Virus

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the getting-it-from-both-ends dept.

Lam1969 writes "Kaspersky Labs has reported a new proof-of-concept virus that can infect both Windows and Linux systems. It's called Virus.Linux.Bi.a/Virus.Win32.Bi.a and affects ELF binaries and .exe's from windows. SANS has a brief item on the cross-platform virus as well, but no information about a patch or signature yet."

4 of 361 comments (clear)

  1. How is it POC? by liliafan · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I guess it is time for me to double check clamav is still updating without any problems on my systems.

    In 2001, the sadmind/ISS worm exploited a hole in Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris to infect systems running vulnerable versions of the operating system. Infected systems then scanned for and attacked servers running Microsoft Corp.'s IIS Web server software. That same year, another proof-of-concept virus named Winux infected both Windows and Linux systems.


    I am curious about how this is a proof of concept virus if it has been done before surely the concept has already been proven?
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    GeekServ Unix Consulting Services (http://www.geekserv.com)
  2. which architectures? by jon787 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The article says the worm was written in assembly and I assume it means x86 assembly. Can the worm infect non-x86 Linux hosts?

    --
    X(7): A program for managing terminal windows. See also screen(1).
  3. Symantec by rmsmith · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I find it interesting that this 'virus' appears shortly after Symantec reportedly gets cushy with the Linux press

  4. Re:Not to worry by andreyw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The problem isn't that it isn't there. The problem is that you need to do something to make use of it. On OS X, if there is some task that needs admin access, I get prompted accordingly. With windows, such functionality is only available in certain control panel applets.