Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!purdue!goehring
From: goehring@cs.purdue.EDU (Scott Goehring)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: Viruses and LZARC (sic)
Keywords: self-extracting archivers
Message-ID: <6557@medusa.cs.purdue.edu>
Date: 15 Apr 89 01:53:13 GMT
References: <2530005@hpbsla.HP.COM>
Reply-To: goehring@cs.purdue.edu (Scott Goehring)
Organization: Purdue University Department of Computer Sciences
Lines: 30

In article <2530005@hpbsla.HP.COM> eboston@hpbsla.HP.COM (Ed_Boston) writes:
>I have seen a couple of messages about how LZARC might be slower than most
>other program, but it creates smaller files.  Also, it has the ability to
>create self-running COM files.  It is this last part I wish to address.
[...]
>However, as time went on, the ability to create self-running COM
>files were discovered and the feeling about LZARC changed.  This
>function now allow people with a warped sense of humor, a simple way
>of infecting disks with a virus.

>Because of this problem, I would suggust not using LZARC unless you have 
>placed safegards against viruses and trojans on your system.  I vote against
>LZARC or any program that allows self-running programs.

ARC, PKPAK, ZIP, and ZOO all have the capability to create
self-extracting archives (which is what I assume you are talking
about).  Are you then recommending against the use ARC, ZIP, ZOO, and
PKPAK, and instead recommending that we go back to LBR and SQ?

I agree with you that self-extracting archives should be avoided, but
that does not mean that we should not use archivers that allow them to
be created; simply do not make them.  Also, ZOO and, I understand, ZIP
and ARC, allow you to unpack a self-extracting archive using the
normal tool (without running it) so even then it's not that much of a
problem.
-- 
Scott Goehring |     Arpanet:  goehring@cs.purdue.edu                 
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