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From: mystone@mondo.engin.umich.edu (Dean Yu)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: WDEF virus:  Am I immune?
Message-ID: <1989Dec15.003224.5016@caen.engin.umich.edu>
Date: 15 Dec 89 00:32:24 GMT
References: <4249@sbcs.sunysb.edu>
Sender: news@caen.engin.umich.edu (USENET News System)
Reply-To: mystone@caen.engin.umich.edu
Organization: Computer Aided Engineering Network, University of Michigan
Lines: 34

In article <4249@sbcs.sunysb.edu> vallon@sboslab15.cs.sunysb.edu (Justin Vallon) writes:
>If the WDEF virus moves from disk to disk in Desktop files, then isn't using
>the Desktop Manager effectively giving me a vaccination for any attempt
>at spreading the WDEF virus?

  The WDEF virus infects AppleShare volumes as well, and they use the
Desktop Manager, so I guess the answer is no, you're not immune.

>Let's try to trace how the virus would get into my system.  I insert an
>infected floppy.  Question 1:  Will it install itself into my Desktop file,
>even though it isn't open?  Does it go around looking for Desktop files?

  If you have a Desktop file, you'll get it.

>Let's say that it does get into my Desktop file.  It may as well not install
>itself, though, because the virus is the only thing that will ever open the
>Desktop file.

  I'm not sure how the Desktop Manager works, but if you're sure that your
Desktop file never gets open, then you're right.  It might as well have
saved itself the trouble.  But...

>I now eject the infected floppy, insert a clean floppy.  Can the clean
>clean floppy now be infected?

  You'd better believe it.

_______________________________________________________________________________
Dean Yu                            | E-mail: mystone@caen.engin.umich.edu
Self-declared License Czar         | Real-mail: Dean Yu
University of Michigan             |            909 Church St
Computer Aided Engineering Network |            Apt C
     INCLUDE 'Disclaimers.a'       |            Ann Arbor, MI 48104
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