Now Linux Can Get Viruses, Via Wine

fsufitch writes "Wine has advanced enough to make Linux not immune to Windows viruses. However, just like many Wine applications, it takes a bit of effort to get the program off the ground. Also, just like some Windows programs running via Wine, not all features may work — in this case, the crippling of the system, immunity to the task manager, identity theft, etc."

Comments

Just waiting for this e-mail

[fluch]

This is a lonesome linux virus. Please add

deb http://malware.server.ru/debian experimental non-free

to your /etc/apt/sources.list and excecute "apt-get my-first-virus" as root. Thank you very much vor your cooperation.

Re:Just waiting for this e-mail

[sakdoctor]

non-free?

I only install FLOSS malware.

Re:Just waiting for this e-mail

[Anonymous Coward]

Me too, I won't compromise my freedom just to be part of a botnet.

Free alternative: http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/evilmalware.html

Linux on a bender

[Anonymous Coward]

What do you expect when Linux gets drunk on Wine and wakes up with Windows it's bound to have caught something.

That's the problem with Wine...

[Interoperable]

I always have to configure the programs so much before they run. It really defeats the purpose of a virus if I have to configure it so much first. Once Linux can run Windows viruses with a one-very-poorly-chosen-click install process I might make the switch. Besides, I can just run my FOSS software under Windows and still have access to all of the proprietary viruses that are only made for windows.

Re:marketshare

[zmollusc]

If I was teh evil malwares writer, I would target OSX as its users have piles of cash. The trick would be to make your pop-up so beautifully coloured, shaded, animated and raytraced that the style-obsessed mac user would fill in his credit card details immediately.

Re:marketshare

[Nerdfest]

Yeah ... but dancing bunnies .... it is a tough call.

Re:Windows virus needs help to limp onto WINE

[hairyfeet]

You want to know why Linux don't get viruses? You don't get the "Velma" users, that's why. I have a customer we have nicknamed the "walking disaster area" because she will click on ANYTHING that pretends to be a screensaver or comes from one of her friends email addresses, I don't care if the antivirus tries to throw itself between her and the .exe. Just as I had a customer that you could send him ANYTHING with the word 'lesbian" in it, and he would do what? yep, he would run it. .Exe, .VBS, you name it, all it had to do was have lesbian somewhere in the title.

So don't worry, you Linux guys get the "Velma" users I'm quite sure your good friends in Nigeria, the RBN, and China will be cooking up "happy_screensaver.sh" and "hot_lesbians_vid.sh" and the clueless will happily run it and spread bugs like the clap. Trust me, as a PC repair guy for more years than I care to count a good 999/1000 Windows bugs can be traced back to PEBKAC.