Computer viruses cross picture barrier

[DoctorDoom]

I found this while searching the web for computer security articles. It's one of those "Oh, SHIT!" items.

[ QUOTE ]
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new computer virus is the first ever to infect picture files, an anti-virus firm reported Thursday, making sharing family photos on the Internet a potentially dangerous activity.

The virus, dubbed Perrun, is not currently infecting computers but worries anti- virus experts because it is the first to cross from program infection into data files, long considered safe from malicious data.

"Our concern is more for what might be coming," said Vincent Gullotto, head anti-virus researcher at McAfee Security. "Potentially, no file type could be safe."

Until now, viruses infected program files — files that can be run on their own. Data files, like movies, music, text and pictures, were safe from infection. While earlier viruses deleted or modified data files, Perrun is the first to infect them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Computer viruses cross picture barrier (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002/06/13/virus-pictures.htm)

Doesn't that just give y'all a warm'n'fuzzy feeling?

[Rhino]

Word documents, commonly considered data files, have had virus containing macros for years. This does still cause some concern though. No double click required, though this isn't the first time that has been possible either.

[nosferatuscoffin]

Yep. Word 6.0 for Win 3.x started that whole ball of wax. Then again, this is Microsoft. You do not actually expect them to thouroughly debug their software before releasing it, now do you?

[Rink]

No no they just patch the hell out of it like some French Gaming companines I know of *ahem*Vivendi*ahem*

I wonder if its a conspiracy!

[JonECat]

Yep, Definite Oh Shit!

[DoctorDoom]

[ QUOTE ]
You do not actually expect them to thouroughly debug their software before releasing it, now do you?

[/ QUOTE ]
Do you consider that possible? Can any software company test a product under every possible condition in which it might be used, and account for every possible fark-up that can be made by clue-free users?

As long as MS must contend with the vast majority of people whose attitude is, "I just want to turn it on and run it without having to know anything about it," Windows and its programs cannot be made foolproof (or more precisely, idiot-proof).

[nosferatuscoffin]

There is a difference between thouroughly debugging an app and making it bug-free (essentially impossible given the myriad of platform configs nowadays, as compared to 10-15 years ago).

Microsoft has consistently been lazy in that respect going back to the DOS days. Remember the old saying, "DOS isn't done until Lotus won't run." They have a bad and well-earned reputation of including crippleware in their core apps to screw over competing companies. Just one more thing to live with, as far as they go. However, it keeps people like myself employed. http://freeconservatives.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

[Rhino]

Yep. The defects go in before the name goes on.