Is there a program for converting downloads (ex: ROT13) to protect them from viruses & a DOS or Linux companion prog for reversing the process? ver. 1.10 Plural keyword header copy ignore

From: wlhaught (wlhaught2002tooth@ameritech.net)
Date: 04/19/02 

From: "wlhaught" <wlhaught2002tooth@ameritech.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 00:51:10 GMT

Is there a program for converting downloads (ex: ROT13) to protect
them from viruses & a DOS or Linux companion prog for reversing the
process? ver. 1.10 Plural keyword header copy ignore

I am thinking of protecting the file before it even becomes a file
and viruses that infect immediately can even have a chance.

I wonder if this may even require ring 0 code, so this becomes a
multiissue matter: setup, security, virus-related, drivers, to name
a few.

The idea is to save and periodically back up altered installation
files that cannot be infected and data files. If necessary I can
write zeros to the drive, then partition, and reformat, and reinstall
with clean startup disks and tapes. Of course, the installation files
could become corrupted, but that is still better than an infection.

Ideally, the programs (or plugins or controls) would also change
extensions too.

I am wondering about text<--> binary decoding and encoding issues. I
have been under the impression for years that all data on the internet
was converted. When I started looking for a program to do the above,
I found documents stating that only the SMTP protocol and most mail
and news servers, not web (http) and ftp servers have trouble with
8-bit characters, making conversions necessary for mail and good
practice for news.

Furthermore, I read that even MIME and HTML allow for 8-bit
characters. I am confused as to what is normally done in practice.

Thanks in advance for your comments. 

--
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