Re: [tlug] Anti-virus software is a scam

[Matthew <daac2000@example.com>]

--- On Wed, 9/29/10, Dave M G <dave@example.com> wrote:
> Subject: Re: [tlug] Anti-virus software is a scam
> However, the thing that strikes me about most of the
> examples you guys gave for Windows is that they exploit vulnerabilities
> within Windows that Microsoft (or whichever application developer was
> responsible) could potentially correct, thus rendering any attack that
> exploited that vulnerability useless.
> 
> So really, it's not the image files (or other types) being
> opened that causes the problem, it's the program, and it's relation to
> the OS, that is the problem.
> 

I think you are missing the point here. The distinction you make between files that are executed and files that are "viewed" is a false one. It is the nature of the computer(the Von Neumann architecture, anyway) that any file can "contain a virus" ie. a file can contain something nasty which can be interpreted as code. 

You need to consider what happens when you "view" a file. Be warned, a whole series of things can happen, and several programs may be involved. This provides many opportunities for parts of the file to be executed.

By the way, are you familiar with anti-virus software and how it works(or doesn't work!)? I mention this because in your blog post there is no discussion of anti-virus software.

Matthew