Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.programmer:3824 comp.sys.mac:24976
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!pacbell!ames!think!bloom-beacon!bu-cs!encore!gloom!cory
From: cory@gloom.UUCP (Cory Kempf)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Suggestion for virus prevention
Message-ID: <313@gloom.UUCP>
Date: 11 Jan 89 16:13:25 GMT
References: <1272@viscous.sco.COM>
Reply-To: cory@gloom.UUCP (Cory Kempf)
Organization: Alloy Computer Products, Framingham Mass.
Lines: 23

In article <1272@viscous.sco.COM> jamesm@sco.COM (James M. Moore) writes:
>Would having programs (particularly System) check their CODE resources
>(and perhaps other types of resources as well) to make sure there aren't
>any unknown additions help prevent the spread of the current strain
>of viruses?  

Only to the extent that the virus was unaware of the code... A well
built virus coud concevebly subvert the software involved in makeing
the check to always reporting a negative result (ie no virus), leading
to a false sense of security.

A better method might be to have any files containing critical
resources locked by default, with some non-simulable (is that a word?)
way of overriding the lock for legitimate tasks (such as installing
fonts, etc.  The problems with this are A. How? and B. The system etc.
would still be vulnerable at that point.


+C
-- 
Cory ( "...Love is like Oxygen..." ) Kempf
UUCP: encore.com!gloom!cory
	"...it's a mistake in the making."	-KT