On Mon, 15 May 2000, Michael Gurstein wrote:
> >problem by losing the capability. The solution is not in policies,
> >but in technology. The problem's center of gravity is the operating
> >system.
One shortcoming of this article is to not mention the fact that these
alternative operating systems exist, and have existed even longer than
Windows has. UNIX itself is all about bringing some of the multi-user and
security capabilities previously only seen in a mainframe setting to much
smaller computers, with todays Open Source systems like BSD and Linux
bringing it to the same hardware (and even smaller hardware) that the
Windows PC uses.
We do need to realize, however, that while the center of the problem is
the operating system itself that the "personal computer" mindset at the
application layer is also dangerous. A Linux user cannot infect their
entire operating system while logged in as a user other than ROOT because
their operating system and basic multi-user file permissions protect them
from that. That same Linux user running Netscape Communicator can still
click on binary attachments and infect files they own themselves, assuming
the attachment is written in a language that their computer can run. Had
this virus been written in Java rather than VisualBasic, and the virus
scanned for more different email programs "Address Books" (The INBOX and
other folders are also useful to collect good addresses) than just
Microsoft Outlook, the program would have been able to spread even further
and faster.
Every application that interacts with the outside world needs to have a
recognition of basic security. Users themselves need to be taught the
networked computer equivalent of when they were told as a child to "look
both ways before crossing the street". We all know that transportation
can be dangerous, and need to learn the same lessons and have the same
level of education and safety features added to our communications tools.
---
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://russell.flora.org/work/>
http://www.flora.org/flora.comnet-www/1637 Community radio going private?
http://www.flora.org/flora.comnet-www/1643 More on the "Love Bug"
