Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!rex!ukma!widener!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!cert.sei.cmu.edu!krvw
From: p1@arkham.wimsey.bc.ca (Rob Slade)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Is virus infection by inserting floppy disk possible? (PC) (Mac)
Message-ID: <0001.9104162011.AA07133@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 91 02:11:52 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
Lines: 19
Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

diblasi@mail-gw.ncsl.nist.gov (Thomas DiBlasi) writes:

> Is it possible for a virus, trojan, worm, etc. to infect a hard disk
> or RAM simply by inserting an infected floppy into a drive without
> execution??

A short answer: on a Mac, yes.  However, most of the Mac virus protection
programs do automatic detection on disk insertion.

On a PC: no.  Or at least, not with standard machines.  (I use an old NEC
laptop for my comm sessions, and it growls at every disk insertion so it
must be doing *something*.  But most PC's don't.)

=============
Vancouver          p1@arkham.wimsey.bc.ca   | "Is it plugged in?"
Institute for      Robert_Slade@mtsg.sfu.ca | "I can't see."
Research into      (SUZY) INtegrity         | "Why not?"
User               Canada V7K 2G6           | "The power's off
Security                                    |  here."