Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on April 12, 2006 01:58 PM
Users on systems they do not administer themselves frequently install apps in their homes because that it is their only option. These could open source or even commercial. Thus their apps can be infected. If they allow other users to run their apps, there is the potential for cross-user infection. Think about large corporate systems with nfs<nobr> <wbr></nobr>/homes. I was just making the case that this *is* a virus though, not that it is a very effective one.
Once *any* malicious executable code is allowed to run on a Linux or MS box in a user account, that user account is essentially "owned". That account can't be trusted because the OS gives full user privledges to every process run by that user. A virus could easily uuencode a copy of itself inside your<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.bashrc, and be ready to pop out even after you deleted and reinstalled all your home based executables.
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Re:Reading Comprehension
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on April 12, 2006 01:58 PMOnce *any* malicious executable code is allowed to run on a Linux or MS box in a user account, that user account is essentially "owned". That account can't be trusted because the OS gives full user privledges to every process run by that user. A virus could easily uuencode a copy of itself inside your<nobr> <wbr></nobr>.bashrc, and be ready to pop out even after you deleted and reinstalled all your home based executables.
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