"Rubenstein, Bruce M (Bruce)" wrote:
>Viruses attack via the operating system. These cameras aren't running under
>Windows,
>or any other high level OS. This whole thing makes as much sense as giving a
>microwave
>oven a virus.
Wrong. Many devices, cell phones, VCRs, DVD players, and even digital
cameras run firmware on top of an OS. Some common embedded OSs are: DOS,
Linux and VxWorks, and there are others (e.g. Lynx, CE, NT, etc.).
Thoses OS are, in theory, capable of running virus code desiged for them.
Virus code has to be written to run on the particular HW/OS and infect it via
some particular software, all of which explains why Mac viruses don't affect
windows users. Each embedded device tends to use one of a large set of
potential OSs, each has some variation of a large number of HW platforms, and
almost all run proprietary software. If one were to write a virus for such a
device, it would likely only affect a particular model of a particular brand
of device (or at worst, an entire product family) and almost certainly
wouldn't affect a different brand.
Virus writers don't get their kicks from writing a virus that affect a small
number of users, they want to hit millions of users, and they know they have
to do it fast or the rest will become immune. Given this, digital cameras
are just not an interesting target, although cell phones may be soon.
>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>> What about when you take the memory card out and download to
>> a computer?
Possible, but your desktop is the more interesting and easier device to
infect, and your virus software should handle it anyway. Personally, I
wouldn't worry until you see that it has become a problem.
hope that helps,
patbob ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
