Re: [OT] Ping No Stop - An Example of FUD

Galen wrote:

In news:pan.2006.11.22.04.36.22.95087@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
arachnid had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 19:16:39 -0500, Galen wrote:

In 7rG8h.344559$5R2.335271@pd7urf3no">news:7rG8h.344559$5R2.335271@pd7urf3no, NoStop had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Correct. And you won't find any defrag routine either, as Linux
filesystems
don't require defragging. Counter to what Leythos states.

I think it must be time to take specifics about GNU/Linux away from
this Windoze newsgroup or we'll overstay our welcome. :-) As I said
earlier, if you want to communicate directly with me ...
irc.bcwireless.net ...
#linuxtalk

Cheers.

Snipped and my own feelings are contrary. A firewall and antivirus -
even for Linux - are good ideas. While there are not many out there for
Linux there are some bits of malware and there certainly are plenty of
exploits.

What Linux viruses making the rounds would an antivirus program protect
me from?

That's a tough question to answer - while Linux is compatible from build
to build at the source level they aren't always binary compatible thus you
end up with different packages for different versions. It's a fairly
common misconception that there isn't any malware for Linux but, well,
that's not entirely accurate and many of the applications that are
installed need to be constantly updated as new vulnerabilities are found
quite frequently. Another confusing term these days is "virus" as there
really aren't that many straight viruses left these days. Most of them are
blended threats with the emphasis being on data theft and/or financial
gain. The anti-virus vendors have adapted their strategy to suit, with
Windows I'd recommend a mixture of antivirus, antispyware, and maybe even
antitrojan software, that's much harder to do with Linux. The specialized
applications just don't seem to be there. The truth is that the threat
isn't nearly as high with Linux - there simply isn't as much activity from
the bad guys there. To say that there's no threat would be crazy, there is
plenty.

Here are a few links that you might find interesting:

This one seems to cover just viruses. Viruses, in a traditional sense,
seem to be dwindling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_computer_viruses

Galen,

Do you think that if you're going to spread FUD you could at least get a
list of Linux viruses that didn't come out 5 to 10 years ago and are
actually in the wild today, infecting today's GNU/Linux systems, and not
just proof-of-concept played around with in a lab somewhere?

For those maybe not aware of what FUD is and why I call Galen's posts on
this subject - FUD, an explanation ...

FUD is short for "fear, uncertainty and doubt". Galen's link above takes one
to a list of some 14 Linux computer viruses. At first glance, anyone
looking at the page would have to say, "Galen is right! There are indeed
viruses attacking Linux boxes." That would probably be as far as an
ordinary Windows user would look. BUT, go and click on those "known Linux
computer viruses" and you'll be able to read up on them. Take just the
first one for example, "Adm" and read up on it. Here's the Technical
details:

"This is the worm infecting Linux systems. The worm was discovered in spring
1998."

Well in the GNU/Linux world (never mind the Windoze world), 1998 is a LONG
time ago. Is Galen suggesting that GNU/Linux hasn't come to terms with that
insecurity a long time ago? Is he suggesting that it exists in the wild
today and is continuing to infect Linux boxes? That's what I mean by FUD
and Galen is a master at that.

Compare this trivial out-dated list with the known 200,000+ malware packages
targeted at Windoze boxes and anyone with any intelligence at all will
quickly see that comparing GNU/Linux with Windoze in terms of insecurity
and trying to suggest that each is just as insecure is just plain FUD!

I have yet to meet any GNU/Linux user who is complaining about a computer
viruses compromising his/her computer. On the other hand, this newsgroup is
ripe with complaints of Windoze boxes that have been compromised. The
so-called MVPs are constantly encouraging Windoze users to pile on condom
after condom (anti-virus, firewalls, anti-adware, anti-trojan,
etc) "defences" to protect their vulnerable systems. That is reality and no
FUD from Galen is going to change it.

The final b.s. argument of these FUDmasters is to say that, Linux is just so
insignificant in numbers that viruses writers don't bother to attack Linux
boxes. This again is just so much FUD. There are plenty of Linux boxes OPEN
to the Net and getting millions and millions of hits per hour. In fact,
much of the Net runs on Linux boxes. Linux drives the routers, drives the
web servers, drives mail servers, drives DNS servers, drives Usenet
servers, etc. etc. Where is the malware bringing down these boxes? Where
is the list of Linux viruses and trojans compromising these millions of
Linux servers? Probably the largest server farm on the face of the Earth
today is running Google's services and it's running on Linux. How often
have you been unable to google because of some malware attack on Google's
infrastructure?

Galen, you do no service to the computing community by spreading your FUD.
You do however help to maintain Microsoft's dominance on the desktop, but I
guess that is part of the role one assumes when earning the MVP
designation? I don't know why you find it necessary to spread this FUD
against such an "insignificant" operating system as GNU/Linux. Heck, just
try and purchase a computer today that doesn't come pre-bundled with
Windows. An ordinary user will really have to wake up, smell the coffee,
and go to the effort to install the GNU/Linux alternative before you and
Microsoft needs to feel at all threatened in the desktop realm. The fact
that many millions of Windows users are doing that now at ever increasing
numbers is probably what got you and Microsoft worried. Thankfully Vista
will bring forth even more new users to the GNU/Linux alternative. FUD like
you and Microsoft spread will only work for so long. The future is OSS and
the vehicle is GNU/Linux.


Cheers.



--
Linux is ready for the desktop! More ready than Windoze XP.
http://tinyurl.com/ldm9d

"Computer users around the globe recognize that the most serious threats to
security exist because of inherent weaknesses in the Microsoft operating
system." McAfee



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Relevant Pages

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    (Ubuntu)
  • Re: [OT] Ping No Stop
    ... I think it must be time to take specifics about GNU/Linux away from ... even for Linux - are good ideas. ... What Linux viruses making the rounds would an antivirus program protect ... types of malicious code, including Java applets and ActiveX controls for ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
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    (Ubuntu)
  • Re: [OT] Ping No Stop
    ... I think it must be time to take specifics about GNU/Linux away from ... even for Linux - are good ideas. ... What Linux viruses making the rounds would an antivirus program protect ... types of malicious code, including Java applets and ActiveX controls for ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)