Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!tektronix!tekig!tekig4!brianr
From: brianr@tekig4.TEK.COM (Brian Rhodefer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Virus programs
Message-ID: <2317@tekig4.TEK.COM>
Date: 4 Jan 88 22:20:21 GMT
References: <2242@crash.cts.com> <17272@glacier.STANFORD.EDU>
Reply-To: brianr@tekig4.UUCP (Brian Rhodefer)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR.
Lines: 19

Many posters have recommended the practice of keeping one's bootable
disks write-protected.   It is my understanding though, that the sensor
switch for the "write protect" tab does nothing more than "advise" the
Amiga's software that it oughtn't write to the disks.  With the ability
to replace seemingly any OS firmware one wishes (e.g. warm-reset code)
with virus code, how much protection does "write-protect" really afford?
Could it deter a program which instructed the hardware to:
 "Turn motor ON.  Load Heads.  Turn Write Current ON.
  Repeat: (Delay, Step Heads)"     ?

Perhaps someone from Commodore could allay these fears.  If they're
legitimate, however, perhaps C-A could advise how the drives might be
modified so that their write-protect switches WORK IN HARDWARE BY DEFEATING
THE WRITE-CURRENT TO THE LOVEMAKING HEADS, as W-P SWITCHES OUGHT.


A concerned novice,

Brian Rhodefer