Unix viruses - request for comments please

[mikespn]

Hi

We have just had a data security audit on our accounts system and not knowing much about SCO (I'm an NT bod) I would be grateful for any comments you would be willing to make on a part of the report which seems a little odd to me. I have had unix viruses picked up by our AV system coming in by email in the past.

Thanks

Mike S

--- Report extract to follow ---

You mentioned anti-virus protection ...... A***a do not supply or recommend
any anti virus products for Unix. Although virus's were originally developed
and passed around on Unix systems (before Microsoft's time) it is virtually
unheard of to encounter a virus on a Unix server, this is down to the nature
of the OS and the way in which it is used / accessed. Windows environments
are more easy prey and as such nobody bothers with Unix viruses.

 

[Wonboodoo]

I agree with the report. Nobody attacks Unix with email viruses. I've never heard of any such instances. I think it's partly because Unix security is generally better than Windows and because typically viruses attack the email client machine and not the server. Most people run a Windows email client even if they are connecting to a Unix email server. So there is better motivation to write viruses that attack Windows machines.

Unix systems are generally attacked in other ways, exploiting known issues in unpatched or poorly configured software (web servers, ssh, ... etc).

 

[mikespn]

Thanks for your comments.

Much appreciated.

The viruses were embedded (penguin and a couple of others) not email visuses as such like Klez.