SFO Archive Forums - View Single Post - Important: to ensure yer computer is secure

viper2040 · 01-24-2004, 01:36 PM

sorry to contradict ya, karma....what yer talkin about is how it SHOULD be...but there are security holes...

in fact, anyone who was here for the snow/music i set up, you were witnessing one of those loopholes....that music was downloaded to your computers temporary internet cache, and run, without your permission...its a commonly used technique for media called embedding. What if the file had had a virus in it? (of course, it didnt....it was just a simple midi file, appx 15 kb in size)

I COULD give you a link that would infect you upon clickin it--its been goin around through AIM recently. It DOES prompt you to download a file, but thats just a distraction...the virus is already on yer comp by then.

As for typing random numbers in a text file, thats a load of crap. EXE files are compiled in machine code, which cannot be written or properly viewed through notepad. When you look at an EXE file using notepad, youre NOT seeing the actual machine code...youre seeing notepads interpretation of it. EXEs CANNOT be written through notepad. Programs can be written in notepad, but they must be compiled to work. (Scripts--bat files, vbs files, are different...)

<span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'>However, this is all besides the point....the topic is NOT "lets discuss how viruses are made" or "Can that virus truely infect you"....the topic is protecting your computer, and stopping spyware. </span>

Edited By viper2040 on Jan. 24 2004 at 16:38

01-24-2004, 01:36 PM	#16
viper2040 Senior Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Virginia Posts: 789 Post Thanks / Like Thanks (Given): Thanks (Received): Likes (Given): Likes (Received): Dislikes (Given): Dislikes (Received): Points: 0 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s) Quoted: 0 Post(s)	sorry to contradict ya, karma....what yer talkin about is how it SHOULD be...but there are security holes... in fact, anyone who was here for the snow/music i set up, you were witnessing one of those loopholes....that music was downloaded to your computers temporary internet cache, and run, without your permission...its a commonly used technique for media called embedding. What if the file had had a virus in it? (of course, it didnt....it was just a simple midi file, appx 15 kb in size) I COULD give you a link that would infect you upon clickin it--its been goin around through AIM recently. It DOES prompt you to download a file, but thats just a distraction...the virus is already on yer comp by then. As for typing random numbers in a text file, thats a load of crap. EXE files are compiled in machine code, which cannot be written or properly viewed through notepad. When you look at an EXE file using notepad, youre NOT seeing the actual machine code...youre seeing notepads interpretation of it. EXEs CANNOT be written through notepad. Programs can be written in notepad, but they must be compiled to work. (Scripts--bat files, vbs files, are different...) <span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'>However, this is all besides the point....the topic is NOT "lets discuss how viruses are made" or "Can that virus truely infect you"....the topic is protecting your computer, and stopping spyware. </span> Edited By viper2040 on Jan. 24 2004 at 16:38 __________________ questions about getting PC, server, or game console to work? gimme a holler.