Re: Spreading an anti-virus like a virus

[Chris Largret <largret () gmail com>]

On Mon, 2005-12-05 at 21:52 +0530, Pranav Lal wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> At some point I have read that a possible approach in dealing with 
> the spread of a computer virus over the Internet is to make the 
> anti-virus spread like a virus. I remember reading a debate on this 
> approach. Does any one have any links?

Yes, I have seen several threads along that line. It is an interesting
thought to ponder, but not something that should ever be implemented.
There are too many unknowns when you are putting a "virus-like" program
on another computer. Networks, programs that are monitoring or doing
various things, special settings that the user may or may not have
activated, whether they have all of the latest patches or not, etc.
Virus writers don't really deal with special cases, but a program to
deal with "fixing" the computer by entering the computer illegitimately
would have to make sure it doesn't break anything.

That is what all of the various threads basically boil down to. No
matter the purpose of the program, if it breaks into the computer and
loads itself on that machine, that program is a worm or virus.

All of the testing is why anti-virus vendors charge for their time.

--
Chris Largret <http://daga.dyndns.org>