:: The Word is the Virus - Part II ::

Computer security specialists weren't the only ones to cheer happily at the outbreak of the ILOVEYOU virus and it's associates. If you ask me, these people are always too happy too fast at other users' expense.

The second group of cheerleaders for this virus were the snobbish pack of Linux users, one of which I can consider myself, these days (see: Wadi List "What About Me?").

When *I* got the ILOVEYOU virus (and I did), I could calmly read through the whole virus' code and I knew that nothing bad could happen to me by opening the VBS file, since they run only on Windows machines.

But it is wrong to assume that the simple solution against viruses is to move to Linux. First, Linux is still not an operating system for everyone (I mentioned snobbish, didn't I?), and second, it is not virus proof. The main reason why there are no viruses for Linux is not because it's impossible (although it is more difficult), but that nobody would bother to target the handful of users who make up the Linux community.

A virus written for Linux would just die of malnutrition.

But, if everyone would move to Linux, there would be reason enough to start writing viruses for that OS and we can be sure that in such a case Linux viruses will follow fast.

Again, we're facing a sociological virus situation.

Let it just be said that, even given all the above, I find the security breaches imposed by MS-Windows and MS-Outlook, which enabled this virus to live (who needs to auto-open VBS files anyway) outrageous and unacceptable.

Wadi Writer #2 (Blue)

WadiList@mail.com

Links:

http://slashdot.org/articles/00/05/23/2022208.shtml

Why "viruses" is the plural of "virus"

http://language.perl.com/misc/virus.html