Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!turnkey!gryphon!jspear From: jspear@gryphon.COM (Jon Spear) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Plans for Disinfectant 2.0 Summary: Yow! Even triple the price would be cheap. Where's Apple? Message-ID: <25539@gryphon.COM> Date: 4 Feb 90 18:53:20 GMT References: <3467@accuvax.nwu.edu> Reply-To: jspear@gryphon.COM (Jon Spear) Organization: Trailing Edge Technology, Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 62 In article <3467@accuvax.nwu.edu> jln@acns.nwu.edu (John Norstad) writes: >In the announcement of Disinfectant 1.6 I mentioned that I'm working on >version 2.0, and I thought you might be interested in some of the things >I've been planning and working on. Version 2.0 will be a major new >release. [list of really nifty improvements to be coming] >Don't hold your breath waiting for 2.0. I have a real job, and I mostly >work on Disinfectant at home at night and on the weekends. >Of course, with all this new stuff, I'll have to charge double - the >program will still be free :-) Disinfectant is great stuff, cheap. Your work to combat this problem is significant, and greatly appreciated. This future version of Disinfectant sounds very nice, and the re-usable user interface code should prove very handy for other applications. We salute you and the others who have worked so hard to keep the Macintosh world safe from unwanted vermin. I must wonder, though, where this will all lead to. Are we doomed to a never-ending stream of new virii followed by a scramble to come up with and distribute new countermeasures? The real solution to the virus problem has got to be either preventing the miscreants from spawning these nasties, or to make our systems less vulnerable to attack. We haven't got any way to stop people from creating viruses or worms, so we must reduce our vulnerability. John Norstad and others have worked admirably and effectively to address many aspects of the problem. But they can only do so much to patch up a system with many holes. Why do we have so many holes? Wouldn't we expect the manufacturer to be doing something about the problem? But Apple offers only a half-fast virus detector (VirusRX) that most Mac users will never receive or even hear about. And even if you have it, it can only tell you you've been infected, not prevent it. The most effective defenses are those that can only be built into the computer and operating system. What, if anything, is Apple doing? Oh well... I don't really want to pay for a multi-level secure system with a kernel proven to meet the Orange-book A1 criteria, nor would such a system be very friendly to use or manage. But a protected-mode operating system would eliminate many virus mechanisms. There are many other reasonable measures that could be taken to make the Mac more secure, but they require a comittment by Apple and software developers to make them happen. {This started out as a pat on the back for John Norstad, but I guess it kind of devolved into hand-wringing. Oh well... I feel better already.} -Jon -- ----- Jon L. Spear: DDN/ARPAnet: spearjl@afsc-sdx.af.mil Voice: (213)316-9371 USnail: PO Box 98, Redondo Beach CA 90277 [The following address evaporates any day. New address sought.] jspear@gryphon.COM !gryphon!jspear gryphon!jspear@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov "With computers we can make billions of mistakes every second!"