[Ti] Re: i386 viruses

[Mikael Byström]

Lists said:

>It is easy to do, because the OS is inherently insecure with some  
>security added on later.  
Agreed. With *some* security.

>Look at the recent Sony rootkit fiasco  
>(*).  The OS allowed for a program to be installed which completely  
>undermined the security of the operating system.
>
>NOTE: **** anti virus and anti spyware programs did NOTHING to  
>protect against this security flaw.

That is quite mind-puzzling yes. But if Apple allowed for it (not
unthinkable but unlikely) couldn't it happen on Mac OS X too? Apple
already prevents copying some of their application CDs, even with third
party applications. I tried to make a backup of FCP 3 once and the OS
said "illegal operation". But perhaps what Apple does is beside the point.  

>In Mac OS X you would at least have to enter your administrator password.
>If you download a program from an untrusted source and then blindly type
in your  
>password when asked, you will be at risk.  
And how unlikely is it that if a *trusted* company integrates this kind
of tech with their installer, that a users/admins will detect the
installation of malicious code? I have legal copies of software that
phones home and I refuse any connections that I can identify, so I use
Little Snitch, firewall and network settings to prevent it. 

>Outlook Express (the free mail program bundled with Windows) is so  
>poorly designed it ought to be renamed a Virus Distribution  
>Application,
Exactly.

>Many people refer to it as "LookOut!"
LOL