> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bart
> Silverstrim
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 7:50 AM
>
>
> On Sep 30, 2004, at 3:26 AM, Damian Menscher wrote:
>
> > On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >> ... It's interesting that viruses are finally starting to implement
> >> what
> >> we were joking about in 1995 at high school...
> >
> > I'm impressed with how far we've come.  Less than a year ago, I could
> > most email viruses with simple procmail scripts.  Now even antivirus
> > products are having difficulty keeping up with the threats.
>
> But for the jpeg threat, as I understand it, patching systems *should*
> fix this so even if a "virus" does get loose on your system (jpeg
> virus), it shouldn't have an effect.  The problem is with the way it's
> interpreted by some libraries in Windows.  Slightly different than
> running an executable (who would have thought a few years ago that
> spreading a virus would be as simple as an anonymous email with a .exe
> attached saying, "This is neat, UsEr!  Run this program!"...AND THEY
> DO!?? AARGH!).

That's what happen to us for trying to make everythin soooo easy =)

> Once all bazillion Windows machines are patched by all the users on the
> planet who know more about their computer than where the on/off switch
> is, this "jpeg virus" threat will be a minor footnote in computer
> history.
>

That's not going to happen. I still get Blaster attempts on my network =@

> You do realize, of course, in several years there's a distinct
> possibility that this will turn into a "minefield" with otherwise
> harmless jpegs (to some platforms) winding up on web pages for viewing.
>   Some people patch, some don't, eventually...*foom*...infected on those
> systems the user never patched.  This will be happening five years from
> now.

Not counting that this is a real virus. A piece of code that could
potencially insert itself into a legitimte code/data. There could be one
JPEG that infects all other JPEGs!
This could be really be a threat on a unprotected WebServer.
Imagine a user uploading an image, then the admin just browsing the folder
(with thumbnails or something) and BLUM! All the images on the webserver are
infected!

> The only way to really "fix" it is to either A) fix the libraries with
> the problem or B) create a screen program that processes EVERY jpg,
> resaving them in a "stripped" form so the executable code won't exist
> in the new copy, and forward it or present it to the user...this would
> have to be done like some kind of web browser plugin or something of
> that nature.

I think that you can't assume A), so you have to do B).

> At least, those are two ideas I see as possible.  The second one would
> be a real PITA, though.  Both require users to update their systems or
> antivirus programs or spyware programs...<GOOD LUCK>.  Here's another
> thing...what's with spyware and viruses mixing now?  Five years ago
> viruses were viruses, slimy company advertising was slimy company
> advertising.  Now, my Windows antivirus is picking up "trojan" adware
> and viruses and my spybot is searching for Bagle?!?  This is getting
> bloody crazy.  Now that virus vectors are coming through email rather
> than just sharing programs, and are increasingly shifting towards
> infection via web browsing, how long before Clam will need to be run
> with some sort of web proxy plugin via Squid??  But now I'm just
> ranting...
>

As I remember... there IS a plugin for using Clam on Squid =P

This world is not getting any easier... but if it were we would be
unemployed =).

Regards,

-Samuel

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