Re: Unix NOT secure against Viruses on home PCs

From: Rick Moen (rick_at_linuxmafia.com)
Date: 11/30/04 

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 09:13:58 GMT

Sundial Services <info@sundialservices.com> wrote:

> -> the user "trusts" software-updates that seem to come from the vendor
> and is very likely to accept them even when presented with cautioning
> prompts (which he doesn't understand anyway).

Listen up: (We've been over this before, and you didn't listen the first
few times, so I'm probably wasting my time on you, but I'll give it one
more shot.)

You (one) _cannot_ protect someone willing to run with root authority
code that arrives from nowhere in particular, ignoring and circumventing
the mechanisms put in place to make it easy and natural do updating the
_right_ way. You simply can't, and nobody with a brain is going to try.

What you can do is inform them, after they've done that, firmly but with
as much gentleness that you can muster, that they've done something
really stupid and are suffering the consequences, and that you'll gladly
help them learn to avoid making that error twice.

> Linux is certainly faring /better/ than Windows on this score, at least
> right now, but the overall problem is quite challenging and the nature of
> the solution is not clear. The _expectations_ of a consumer, with regard
> to "a piece of consumer electronics," are a major factor here.

We've been over this one, too -- and you weren't listening then, either.
To repeat: We already have a Linux box that's about as close to the
proverbian "piece of consumer electronics" as possible. It's called a
TiVo. And, to repeat: Guess what? You can compromise its system
security and do serious damage in particularly moronic ways, if you're
energetic and gullible enough.

That cannot be prevented. But we _can_ make sure we politely correct
the "I'm not responsible for what happened" dodge as it arises, and tell
people, sorry, you shot a hole in your foot.

> Someday, somewhere, /someone/ is going to sue somebody, and win.

Every day, somewhere, someone files a dumbass lawsuit and wins.

You _still_ have no point, you _still_ don't understand the subject,
and you _still_ know better. Shape up. 

-- 
Cheers,              Never anger a bard, for your name sounds funny and
Rick Moen            scans to many popular songs.
rick@linuxmafia.com                         -- Stephen Savitzky

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