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From: ratzan@rwja.umdnj.edu (Lee Ratzan)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: protecting mac files via locking (Mac)
Message-ID: <0008.9106202012.AA20764@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 20 Jun 91 17:41:57 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
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Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

Aplication locking on a Macintosh prevents a file from accidentally
being destroyed (trashed) and to some extent from being altered.
A user wants to know if locking Disinfectant on a hard disk will
prevent it from being itself infected from a virus emanating
from an infected floppy.

The issue is whether we can trust a resident locked copy of
Disinfectant to remain clean even if the hard disk on which it resides
becomes infected.

I have advocated that since we have no automatic virus checking
software which is activated upon disk insertion or start up and since
anyone can use the machine, the only way to be absolutely certain that
integrity has not been compromised each morning is to boot up first
with a trusted disk and run the trusted disk copy of Disinfectant
against the hard disk files.

Comments?

Lee Ratzan