Why Linux is safe from viruses...

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Orwell
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03 Jul 2009, 1:11 am

Because we can't install them.

Quote:

evilmalware 0.6 (beta)

Copyright 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
E\/17 |-|4><0|2z Software Foundation, Inc.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is
NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY, COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF IMPORTANT
DATA or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (eg. sending thousands of Viagra
spams to people accross the world).

Basic Installation
==================

Before attempting to compile this virus make sure you have the correct
version of glibc installed, and that your firewall rules are set to `allow
everything'.

1. Put the attachment into the appropriate directory eg. /usr/src

2. Type `tar xvzf evilmalware.tar.gz' to extract the source files for
this virus.

3. `cd' to the directory containing the virus's source code and type
`./configure' to configure the virus for your system. If you're
using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might need to type
`sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying to execute
`configure' itself.

4. Type `make' to compile the package. You may need to be logged in as
root to do this.

5. Optionally, type `make check_payable' to run any self-tests that come
with the virus, and send a large donation to an unnumbered Swiss bank
account.

6. Type `make install' to install the virus and any spyware, trojans
pornography, penis enlargement adverts and DDoS attacks that
come with it.

7. You may now configure your preferred malware behaviour in
/etc/evilmalware.conf .

SEE ALSO
evilmalware(1), evilmalware.conf(5), please_delete_all_my_files(1)

Even harder is trying to run Windows viruses under WINE!

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kip
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03 Jul 2009, 1:13 am

Nice... See, I always tell customers it's because Linux is protected by the Holy Power of the Penguin. Works.

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TheKingsRaven
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03 Jul 2009, 3:01 am

It really comes down to a mixture of "genetic diversity", repository culture and that no one dose anything utterly Stupid like outlook automatically opening attachments or the extremely insecure IE6.

pakled
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03 Jul 2009, 11:09 pm

I must be getting somewhere, I actually understand enough to find this funny...
They used to have something called 'quaker viruses' in Windows back in the 90s; you were sent a notice that your system was infected, and it gave you cryptic instructions to do the damage yourself...

Fuzzy
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03 Jul 2009, 11:26 pm

I think this sums it up very well.

Quote:

What it really comes down to is that Windows was originally written with the assumption that each PC it runs on would have just one user and no Internet access. Linux was written with the assumption that each Linux machine would have multiple users and be permanently network-connected. Eventually, Windows had security features bolted-on, but nothing was designed from the get-go to be secure. There is a culture of "writing for security" around Linux-based development that simply doesn't exist with Windows.

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davidred wrote...
I installed Ubuntu once and it completely destroyed my paying relationship with Microsoft.

JohnnyCarcinogen
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06 Jul 2009, 9:50 am

Fuzzy wrote:

I think this sums it up very well.

Quote:

And that's why Windows is only good for solitaire.

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Sparx139
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09 Jul 2009, 1:34 am

JohnnyCarcinogen wrote:

And that's why Windows is only good for solitaire.

Oh whoops, It doesn't even have that on linux

JohnnyCarcinogen
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10 Jul 2009, 1:07 pm

Sparx139 wrote:

JohnnyCarcinogen wrote:

And that's why Windows is only good for solitaire.

Oh whoops, It doesn't even have that on linux

Actually, I think you could probably download a solitaire game from the add/remove software section in Ubuntu; of course, it's nowhere near the Windows original :lol:

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Fuzzy
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10 Jul 2009, 1:38 pm

Sparx139 was making a joke. He has Ubuntu installed and it comes with about 20 games, solitaire included.

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davidred wrote...
I installed Ubuntu once and it completely destroyed my paying relationship with Microsoft.

OddFinn
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10 Jul 2009, 2:02 pm

Because Linus is very arrogant and viruses are just plain afraid of him.

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Pikachu
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11 Jul 2009, 1:02 pm

because virus writers think EVERYONE uses Windows

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Fuzzy
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11 Jul 2009, 6:35 pm

Because malware is written for financial and political gain. It isnt worth it to write for 2% of the market.

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davidred wrote...
I installed Ubuntu once and it completely destroyed my paying relationship with Microsoft.

Rain_Bird
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17 Jul 2009, 9:35 am

JohnnyCarcinogen wrote:

Sparx139 wrote:

JohnnyCarcinogen wrote:

And that's why Windows is only good for solitaire.

Oh whoops, It doesn't even have that on linux

Actually, I think you could probably download a solitaire game from the add/remove software section in Ubuntu; of course, it's nowhere near the Windows original :lol: