Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

ICPUG · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 1278 Location: UK

Lobster - that experience is a bit worrying.

Are you saying that running Puppy (with presumably the NTFS partition not mounted) malware managed to mount the NTFS partition and install itself to it?

jafadmin · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 343

Lobster, I'm skeptical. Sorry man. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

It boggles the mind that a virus enters through linux and infects a windows partition. Unheard of. If this is true, the linux world and puppy in particular are on the brink of an extinction event. This makes puppy linux the most vulnerable OS since Windows 95 since users always run as root.

Lobster · Posted: Sat 21 Jul 2012, 01:29 Post subject:

Guys

I do not know enough to know the actual in and outs or if something else is happening.

However.
I used the NTFS partition to store downloaded files. So it was being mounted. During the download process it is quite possible for even a script kiddy using javascript to write something that will write to the NTFS drive in directories it expects to find (that is Windows folders) these may include rogue dll's. These do nothing on a Linux system.
Then a while later you access Windows and the dll's come into play.
I am not sure if that is what, or if this could happen but that is how I suspect it was done.

As for proving it. m m m . . . no interest.
Go ask crackers if they would, could or can go about it like this.
Or would prefer to use Flash exploits.
http://www.hackforums.net/
I am sure they have any proof you require.

Just deleted Windows and continued visiting dodgy sites. No trouble since. Smile

Puppy proves it.
Linux is better.

nooby · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 9389 Location: SwedenEurope

I wish somebody would pull the plug for all kind of companies that sue each other and that use economic pressure on hardware makers to make it hard to install other OS on that HW.

Microsoft often behave in that way. Apple tend to do it too.
Even Google on Android does not make it very easy to root
and put a Linux on that smartphone instead.

So why would one keep Windows? Often it is the only way to update
some Smartphones. Even Android phones make use of Windows computers to do the update thing. impossible to do from Linux.

And even Raspberry Pi to do the transfer of file to the SD card in some versions works best using a windows exe file.

That is kind of embarrassing indeed. But maybe I did misunderstand it could be that that developer wanted to make it easy to do and if 90% of all computers do have Windows on them then why not use that then? Smile

I never use Windows apart from once a year to update my Smartphone
or to do the IRS identity thing for to do the Taxes in a legal way.

But they have promised that one "soon" should be able to use Linux for such "identity authentication" too.

rcrsn51 · Posted: Sat 21 Jul 2012, 07:10 Post subject:

Lobster · Posted: Sun 22 Jul 2012, 05:15 Post subject:

jafadmin · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 343

I'd really be interested in seeing how a virus hitting puppy can find a windows drive? How does it know sda2 is an ntfs drive for instance?

The reason windows machines are so vulnerable is because of things like standard drive letters and %profile% environment variables. While linux can read ntfs drives, it ignores these M$ conventions.

Of greater concern is that you're reporting that puppy is becoming vulnerable to executing remote virus code and it is infecting drives via the puppy OS.

Since puppy users run as root this is extremely troubling.

ICPUG · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 1278 Location: UK

Lobster · Posted: Tue 24 Jul 2012, 02:05 Post subject:

nooby · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 9389 Location: SwedenEurope

I have not read this one
"the-myth-of-the-four-minute-windows-survival-time/"

But I have read a true story on idg.se which is our version of PCWorld Magazine.

Here in sweden they used several computers with a completely new install of Windows on it and it took from 10 to 20 minutes and it had very severe trojans on it. I don't remember if that where 5 or 7 different computers but as I get it it where no myth then say two or more years ago.

Maybe win7 is more secure?

So why "Why keep Windows?"

Because it is the only way to update smartphones and to get a linux going?

Okay if you already are a Linux enthusiast then maybe you can get linux going without needing a Window to make the first CD or DVD or USB for to boot your first Linux? You do need something to download the linux iso with? Just friendly teasing.

I do have a poor memory but some of the ARM computers for to install that Linux on them you did need windows to bring over the downloaded file?

That is how I remember it. I can be wrong.

rcrsn51 · Posted: Tue 24 Jul 2012, 10:23 Post subject:

bigpup · Posted: Tue 24 Jul 2012, 12:59 Post subject:

Linux does have malware.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

T_Hobbit · Joined: 27 May 2006 Posts: 400 Location: Portugal - Lisbon

Why keep Windows? Privateer!
(Using DOS mode of W98SE)

Lobster · Posted: Thu 02 Aug 2012, 20:30 Post subject:

I would prefer to be using ReactOS as the better option
http://www.reactos.org/wiki/Roadmap

. . . development seems slow . . . they need such paltry amounts of cash . . . Rolling Eyes