Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!pacbell.com!iggy.GW.Vitalink.COM!widener!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!cert.sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: groot@idca.tds.philips.nl (Henk de Groot) Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: Re: What's so bad about self-extracting archives? Message-ID: <0010.9105081310.AA02449@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 8 May 91 09:51:45 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 31 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu Murray_RJ@cc.curtin.edu.au writes: >magnus%thep.lu.se@Urd.lth.se (Magnus Olsson) writes: >> Can't you just first run the archive file through your favourite virus >> checker, and if it passes the test extract it, and then test the >> individual files that were inside it? Or have I missed something? > Well, yes, I suppose you could, but it involves an extra step which >is unnecessary. The other objection I have with self-extracting >archives is that you're stuck with extracting the whole lot, even if >you only want to find out what the !@#$%^&*() thing does. Most of the popular archiveing programs (ZIP, LHA, ARJ) are able to extract files from their SFX files. If you insist on using a shell on it just rename the .EXE file to a file with the proper extension. You can avoid virus problems this way. An ARJ type SFX file allows you to list files just by running the SFX file with flag "-l". You can also selecively extract files. The only real problem I see with SFX files is that it may be a trojan horse. Just getting files from trusted places will cure this type of problem. (Trusted places like SIMTEL20 and Garbo). Henk. - -- / / Henk de Groot | Department: PG 9000i - System Services /---/ __ __ / V2/A12-A13 | Internet : groot@idca.tds.philips.nl / / (-_ / / /( Tel: +31 55 432099 | == PHILIPS INFORMATION SYSTEMS == Disclaimer: I only speak for myself, not for my employer!