person
Not sure if this is correct forum to ask this question.
Is any malware at all exist that can infect someone running Linux?
Is any malware at all exist that can infect someone running Linux?
person
Stress Removal
Is there any type of Spyware that infects Linux?
12 min read
person
yes lots.
My server get hits from thousands of infected linux servers each day - more than from windows servers.
Unless it is fully patched and secured it is no safer than windows. Nor are MAC's or any other operating system.
Fully patched and secured they are all safe.
My server get hits from thousands of infected linux servers each day - more than from windows servers.
Unless it is fully patched and secured it is no safer than windows. Nor are MAC's or any other operating system.
Fully patched and secured they are all safe.
Alphalutra1
What are you talking about? There are around 10 linux viruses total, none of which are in the wild at the current moment. The security model that all *nix platforms are based upon is more inherently secure then windows, simply due to never running as root. Also, windows has a ton more services running that listen for connections, while all the *nix I know of usually start sshd (maybe), which has only had one exploit in its creation, which was quickly fixed four years ago.
Linux has NO spyware. If I am wrong, tell me where the spyware is located and give me a specific example.
The only thing endangering *nix users, is some one remote taking over their machine, such as through really weak passwords and a brute force ssh attack. Other then that, nothing will happen.
I use OpenBSD as my main operating system, and there is no way you can tell me that a "properly secured Windows OS" is anywhere near the security level. Does windows undergo frequent streneuous code audits, oh no, just like I thought. Does windows use blowfish as the password hashing algorithm, oh no it doesn't. Ever heard of a rainbow attack? That is what I can do to get any windows password in under a minute.
Does windows offer chroot jailing, NO
Does windows use a secure by default philosophy, wait, I need to ask the botnets out there the response
Does windows offer encrypted swap, no
The list goes on. And you are incorrect.
Also, even if you don't patch your OS, it doesn't matter since as long as no services are listening, you are completely secure. People install malware, Windows through its insecure design just facilitates the process
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Linux has NO spyware. If I am wrong, tell me where the spyware is located and give me a specific example.
The only thing endangering *nix users, is some one remote taking over their machine, such as through really weak passwords and a brute force ssh attack. Other then that, nothing will happen.
I use OpenBSD as my main operating system, and there is no way you can tell me that a "properly secured Windows OS" is anywhere near the security level. Does windows undergo frequent streneuous code audits, oh no, just like I thought. Does windows use blowfish as the password hashing algorithm, oh no it doesn't. Ever heard of a rainbow attack? That is what I can do to get any windows password in under a minute.
Does windows offer chroot jailing, NO
Does windows use a secure by default philosophy, wait, I need to ask the botnets out there the response
Does windows offer encrypted swap, no
The list goes on. And you are incorrect.
Also, even if you don't patch your OS, it doesn't matter since as long as no services are listening, you are completely secure. People install malware, Windows through its insecure design just facilitates the process
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Alphalutra1
Since I can't find where you are able to edit a post on this forum,
read this see how much windows is so close being as secure as openbsd, since of course windows can be as secure, since any OS can
Also, I can't find any *nix hijackthis forums, or even a tool that remotely resembles hijackthis. In addition, I loaded ubuntu linux (not nearly as secure as windows of course) on a computer where this person whose sons I know like to go in those certain places
There computer was always getting infected, despite numerous ways I tried to secure it. Well, guess what, nothing has happened on the linux box, but I guess thats because I don't know how to properly secure a windows box Or maybe the numerous linux spyware is so much more advanced then windows that I can't seem to locate it on the system
read this see how much windows is so close being as secure as openbsd, since of course windows can be as secure, since any OS can
Also, I can't find any *nix hijackthis forums, or even a tool that remotely resembles hijackthis. In addition, I loaded ubuntu linux (not nearly as secure as windows of course) on a computer where this person whose sons I know like to go in those certain places
There computer was always getting infected, despite numerous ways I tried to secure it. Well, guess what, nothing has happened on the linux box, but I guess thats because I don't know how to properly secure a windows box Or maybe the numerous linux spyware is so much more advanced then windows that I can't seem to locate it on the system Alphalutra1
with so few users using linux any hacker or malware writer is going to write for the larger op system - linux if it was larger would have just as many malware written for it - and would be infected just as easy.
This server is running linux - it has hundreds of linux machines hitting it daily - infected linux machines that are trying to infect this machine.
So those hundred machines (which are running linux) tell me that linux is just as vulnerable as any other op system - IF - they are not fully patched.
with so few users using linux any hacker or malware writer is going to write for the larger op system - linux if it was larger would have just as many malware written for it - and would be infected just as easy.
This server is running linux - it has hundreds of linux machines hitting it daily - infected linux machines that are trying to infect this machine.
So those hundred machines (which are running linux) tell me that linux is just as vulnerable as any other op system - IF - they are not fully patched.
Alphalutra1
Well i don't know about you, but I think linux/bsd/solaris is used on most of the important servers on the world. I think that this would be a pretty nice reason to try and produce holes in them.
Also, I still don't see your spyware link, which shouldn't be so hard to find since linux has "lots"
In addition, how do you know that those are linux servers? Do you nmap then and get a fingerprint?
Also, don't give me the garbage that if it was a more popular system, it would get infected just as easily. It wouldn't. Why? Because of the permissions system, where all users run as users, no as all powerful admins. Malware wouldn't be able to do anything. Also, most if not all of the software installed by *nix users comes from a thing called repositories, which you may have heard of. These are official, and contain all the applications a user can dream about. That eliminates a ton of problems that windows users have.
So, I still don't believe what you are saying.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Also, I still don't see your spyware link, which shouldn't be so hard to find since linux has "lots"
In addition, how do you know that those are linux servers? Do you nmap then and get a fingerprint?
Also, don't give me the garbage that if it was a more popular system, it would get infected just as easily. It wouldn't. Why? Because of the permissions system, where all users run as users, no as all powerful admins. Malware wouldn't be able to do anything. Also, most if not all of the software installed by *nix users comes from a thing called repositories, which you may have heard of. These are official, and contain all the applications a user can dream about. That eliminates a ton of problems that windows users have.
So, I still don't believe what you are saying.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
'KotaGuy
Oh... heres something new... a BSD user and his superiority complex
An unpatched *nix/BSD/Solaris machine is easily exploited. Just as easy as a Windows one for those who know how to do it.
You're a fool if you think otherwise.
Granted... it may not be in the same sense as Windows infection. But they're exploitable nonetheless. It has been done and is being done worldwide.
Oh... and heres a link for you.
http://secunia.com/
Lots of *nix/BSD/Solaris 'sploits there.
nuff said.
An unpatched *nix/BSD/Solaris machine is easily exploited. Just as easy as a Windows one for those who know how to do it.
You're a fool if you think otherwise.
Granted... it may not be in the same sense as Windows infection. But they're exploitable nonetheless. It has been done and is being done worldwide.
Oh... and heres a link for you.
http://secunia.com/
Lots of *nix/BSD/Solaris 'sploits there.
nuff said.
Alphalutra1
If you really want to start flaming
Windows fanboy...
Also with the superiority complex thing, guess what? I run Windows boxes. I also never stated that windows suckorzz and bsd is the l33t sh!t for hax0rz will will nail your box to the ground. I simply stated that windows is inherently less secure then *nix, which it is, and you cannot prove otherwise.
Also, saying *nix covers BSD and Solaris, so you were redundant.
Okay, I will stop with that.
Sure, there are exploits. The majority are things called privilege escalation attacks. To put that in english, that means that a local user can gain more privileges then they currently had. That doesn't really mean much to me, since if you have local access to a computer, guess what, you can do whatever you want with it by booting up a live cd and wreaking havoc. In addition, a majority of the exploits aren't from the operating system, but rather from services it runs. So you really can't blame the OS
Secondly, all of the exploits for OpenBSD were patched, and very quickly. No two week or greater time where a windows system is stuck in the wilderness ready to get completely blasted.
Also, a majority of exploits that aren't privilege escalation are actually DoS, which means that your computer gets put offline, but I still don't see any malware infections which Chris claims there are "lots"
Still waiting for the malware link showing me to malware in the wild. Hopefully, one that infects by a drive by download, because that would be interesting to see it fail.
This is a nice little comparison of windows vs. linux according to secunia.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Windows fanboy...
Also with the superiority complex thing, guess what? I run Windows boxes. I also never stated that windows suckorzz and bsd is the l33t sh!t for hax0rz will will nail your box to the ground. I simply stated that windows is inherently less secure then *nix, which it is, and you cannot prove otherwise.
Also, saying *nix covers BSD and Solaris, so you were redundant.
Okay, I will stop with that.
Sure, there are exploits. The majority are things called privilege escalation attacks. To put that in english, that means that a local user can gain more privileges then they currently had. That doesn't really mean much to me, since if you have local access to a computer, guess what, you can do whatever you want with it by booting up a live cd and wreaking havoc. In addition, a majority of the exploits aren't from the operating system, but rather from services it runs. So you really can't blame the OS
Secondly, all of the exploits for OpenBSD were patched, and very quickly. No two week or greater time where a windows system is stuck in the wilderness ready to get completely blasted.
Also, a majority of exploits that aren't privilege escalation are actually DoS, which means that your computer gets put offline, but I still don't see any malware infections which Chris claims there are "lots"
Still waiting for the malware link showing me to malware in the wild. Hopefully, one that infects by a drive by download, because that would be interesting to see it fail.
This is a nice little comparison of windows vs. linux according to secunia.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Anything that can be coded/programed/call it what you want, can be hacked/cracked/call it what you want.
Every computer irrespective of the system its running, windows/apple/linux/whatever-comes-tommorrow will allways be vunerable to attack and WILL be hacked in time.
To believe you have a "secure" system that is invunerable is probably the quickest way to that get that system broken.
During world war 2 the germans believed that their enigma machines were totally secure and unbreakable, history shows us otherwise.
Whatever one person or machine can do, another person or machine can.
Every computer irrespective of the system its running, windows/apple/linux/whatever-comes-tommorrow will allways be vunerable to attack and WILL be hacked in time.
To believe you have a "secure" system that is invunerable is probably the quickest way to that get that system broken.
During world war 2 the germans believed that their enigma machines were totally secure and unbreakable, history shows us otherwise.
Whatever one person or machine can do, another person or machine can.
Alphalutra1
Did I EVER say *nix was invulnerable. NO
I said it was inherently more secure due to design, the maintainers, quickness to patch, etc.
Also, it seems as though we are straying from the original point of the topic.
The original poster asked if linux has any spyware.
The answer, is no, until someone provides me with the spyware example.
I was refuting ChrisRLG who stated that there was "lots", but since people only give me exploits and thoughts saying this this and this, I cannot seem to find any linux spyware yet.
Also, ChrisRLG states that he gets hit with infected linux servers, but I don't see any infections to tell you the truth.
In addition, fully patching windows won't secure you. You can still easily download and run some spyware or viruses, on accident or not, which is where the majority of the logs coming through this place probably originate from.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
I said it was inherently more secure due to design, the maintainers, quickness to patch, etc.
Also, it seems as though we are straying from the original point of the topic.
The original poster asked if linux has any spyware.
The answer, is no, until someone provides me with the spyware example.
I was refuting ChrisRLG who stated that there was "lots", but since people only give me exploits and thoughts saying this this and this, I cannot seem to find any linux spyware yet.
Also, ChrisRLG states that he gets hit with infected linux servers, but I don't see any infections to tell you the truth.
In addition, fully patching windows won't secure you. You can still easily download and run some spyware or viruses, on accident or not, which is where the majority of the logs coming through this place probably originate from.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
'KotaGuy
Heh... wasn't flaming... if I was you'd be crispy fried. Trust me 
And I'm hardly a Windows fanboy... working with the OS each day as an Admin I'm quite aware of how insecure it is if not properly locked down.
And yes I know *nix covers BSD and Solaris... others don't. Which is why I included them.
My response was more towards your seemingly "*nix is unexploitable" attitude. Which, of course, it isn't.
And I'm hardly a Windows fanboy... working with the OS each day as an Admin I'm quite aware of how insecure it is if not properly locked down.
And yes I know *nix covers BSD and Solaris... others don't. Which is why I included them.
My response was more towards your seemingly "*nix is unexploitable" attitude. Which, of course, it isn't.
Alphalutra1
"'KotaGuy" wrote:Heh... wasn't flaming... if I was you'd be crispy fried. Trust me
Quakin' in my boots
"'KotaGuy" wrote:
My response was more towards your seemingly "*nix is unexploitable" attitude. Which, of course, it isn't.
Nothing is unexploitable, but I more was trying to point out how spyware and viruses aren't the real threats towards *nix, which the OP was trying to know I guess.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
wng_z3r0
See the problem is, that's simply untrue. As linux has become popular for web servers, it has likewise become popular for those who wish to gain access to said servers. I am running a honeypot at home, and I get linux exploits all the time. To say that viruses aren't a threat is naive.
"Alphalutra1" wrote:"'KotaGuy" wrote:Heh... wasn't flaming... if I was you'd be crispy fried. Trust me
Quakin' in my boots
"'KotaGuy" wrote:
My response was more towards your seemingly "*nix is unexploitable" attitude. Which, of course, it isn't.
Nothing is unexploitable, but I more was trying to point out how spyware and viruses aren't the real threats towards *nix, which the OP was trying to know I guess.
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
person; one assumes the machine in question does have protection on it? if so, what has been chosen? or is there an issue with it that it might BE infected?
Alphalutra1
I am sorry, but something trying to give a virus (an executable that does harmful things to a computer) is not the same as someone trying to run an exploit on a piece of software and gain shell access through that exploit. You guys still haven't given me the virus or spyware example. I also find it hard to believe that there are linux botnets attacking ChrisRLG's computers, but of course there must be "lots" and so many, that he cannot reply and defend his incorrect statements.
Also, @ p;3, the machine doesn't need any protection. It needs the user to always log in as a user, have a good password for the root accout and their account. Also, don't' install stuff you don't need, and if you don't need SSH, turn it off. Also, stay current (or with the updated branch of your OS such as stable). Installing stuff only from repositories is also a good idea
Cheers,
Alphalutra1
Also, @ p;3, the machine doesn't need any protection. It needs the user to always log in as a user, have a good password for the root accout and their account. Also, don't' install stuff you don't need, and if you don't need SSH, turn it off. Also, stay current (or with the updated branch of your OS such as stable). Installing stuff only from repositories is also a good idea
Cheers,
Alphalutra1