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

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

Written By
Web Webster
Web Webster
Mar 28, 2001

[ 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

Web Webster

Web Webster

Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.

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