Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Now Linux Can Get Viruses, Via Wine

Posted by timothy on from the many-humans-do-the-same dept.

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."

1 of 343 comments (clear)

  1. Re:marketshare by Storchei · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Haven't it always been pretty clear that Wine could run Windows viruses, as long as they don't use some weird low-level tricks (which admittedly many do)?

    But for that matter, Linux doesn't have malware only because it's desktop share is next to nothing (not the same amount atleast, there are Linux viruses out too). Mac OSX has been getting more and more viruses lately as it's marketshare has been growing. So would Linux aswell if it ever gained more users.

    As long as the OS isn't completely locked down from the user, there will be malware. Windows, Mac, or Linux cant defend you from that. But none of us really want a locked down OS. And as long as the users are stupid their computers will get infected.

    It's just about the marketshare.

    I think you simply did not get the idea of open source. Of course there can be viruses for Linux and open source OSs, but which is the probability they survive? Why? Because of the very core of open source success, EVERYONE who wants can take a look at the code and improve it. Beyond that, who will create a virus for a soft built by her/himself?? I think as Linux/open source OSs gain market they are more exposed, but their essence make then more reliable and protected of malicious code. Of course they are not perfect, but they are by far more efficient/reliable than commercial OSs. I think the skills of a person who intends to write a virus for linux/open source OSs should be BY FAR higher than the skills of a person who intends to write a virus for Windows/Mac, just because linux/open source code is constantly reviewed by millions of people thus the virus writer must be clever than those millions to find a hole nobody else did. In summary, I find linux/open source OSs BY FAR more reliable than windows/commercial OSs. There is no perfect OS, there is a suitable one instead. I think if people takes care of the software they use, among other things, the possibilities of getting a virus are minimum. Regards!