Hi, I got this message on my email account for a university. This is the account that I had when I was working there over a month ago, which is STILL OPEN! (no security holes there). In a normal network environment, user accounts of ex-employees, would be INSTANTLY deleted for security reasons. At this particular organization, *EVERYTHING* is blamed on viruses (virii ?). Maybe they keep email accounts open for weeks afterwards, to keep viruses around, and to promote system compromises? This ensures job security, right? (just stay one step BEHIND the viruses is the theory)...
Why is this relevant? Are you sitting down? It is getting to the point where viruses are even blamed on Linux! A 'sysadmin' I knew, didn't want Linux because he was afraid of viruses. I look at that like saying that you are afraid of AIDS so therefore you oppose all abstinence or committed monogomous relationships. I find it really kinda oddly comical that everything is so hopelessly debilitated by the virus scene. One would *think* that this would lead to an open minded attitude toward exploring some technological alternatives. But that is assuming that anyone cares about fixing the problem, instead of just perpetuating it! <don't make that false assumption> The reasons this is so important: 1. Environments that are all-windows, often are run by people who don't know a kernel from Colonel Sanders, a shell from the thing that washes up on the beach. VERY status quo. People don't want to learn anything new, since that would require effort. After all, computers 'just' have viruses, right? I mean, they all have a START button on the bottom left corner, right? You know the type, and unfortunately many of them are in jobs and lines of work that otherwise require knowledge and ability, if not for the technological backwardness. 2. People like the sysadmin or #1, use viruses to explain things to people that they don't understand. I have heard people use it as an excuse regarding network connectivity, monitor flicker, user error/training, ODBC issues, browser variability, etc. What's next? The War On Terror? Is OBL inserting javascript into my keyboard as I type? Alquaeda planted gifs that explode when I hover over them? What about the Tsunami? Can we blame that on viruses too? In an effort to educate the dumb masses (say 10x fast), let us as a community, embrace the concept of 'virus education' or better yet, 'end user education' or 'middle manager education'. I for one am tired of having to defend linux against claims that are basically some sort of strange voodoo delusions at best, and lies and unscientific claims at worst. These people know what they are doing. The proprietary people are succeeding to a certain extent in fooling some of the dumber managers and other office worker types, into believing that viruses are somehow linked to 'untrusted software' which is linked to the FOSS movement. Muddying the water as they go, then lecturing us about how dangerous the internet is, how dangerous it is to download anything, how dangerous it is to *think for ourselves*... Would any of you be on board with the idea of something like a 'Virus Education Project'? We could cite case studies that specifically dispel myths. It could closely parallel a 'Treacherous Computing' Educational Project as well. Truth in computing, anyone? Cheers Marc ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <@MAIL.whatever.EDU> To Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 11:29:40 -0500 Subject: Network Operation To: All xyz Staff Submitted for: Some Random Technology Manager, too good to send his own emails Submitted by: some dean, too good to get involved technically and hold anyone accountable Subject: University Network The University Network Operation Center (NOC) had disabled communication protocols this past Friday that allowed laptop and tablets to print and open documents from many of the servers in Some Random Department . This was due to the massive amount of viruses traveling through wireless devices. At 11:00am today the protocols were turned back on for the Some Random Department servers. Please report any problems to our call ticket system at Thank you, A. Real Jerk PhD ----Assistant to the Associate Interim Vice President of Techology Integration, Microsoft Buzzwords, and Warm Fuzzies ----Department of Student Cluelessness and Perpetual Helplessness Services and Groupthink (DSCPHSG) -- TriLUG mailing list : http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug TriLUG Organizational FAQ : http://trilug.org/faq/ TriLUG Member Services FAQ : http://members.trilug.org/services_faq/ TriLUG PGP Keyring : http://trilug.org/~chrish/trilug.asc
