Yahoo/Reuters: First Virus to Infect Both Windows, Linux Emerges

[ Linux Today reader Anthony Awtrey writes: ]

"Check out the article that claims a single binary virus can run on both Linux and Windows. Even assuming the article's author is too clueless to realize that linux!=x86, how could you write an assembly program that recognized the vfat and ext2 filesystems so it could add itself to other executable files? Anyone have a clue-by-4 around here or am I just dense?"

From the article:

"A computer virus that can infect PCs running either the ubiquitous Windows operating system or the increasingly popular Linux operating system emerged on Tuesday, which its discoverers say is a world first."

"The virus, dubbed `W32.Winux' by the company that first reported it, anti-virus firm Central Command, is not destructive and does not appear to have infected any computers yet."

"Still, the virus sets a disturbing precedent."

"We didn't think this was possible," said Keith Peer, President and Chief Executive of Medina, Ohio-based Central Command. "It's a real step forward for virus writers."

Complete Story

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