Comment 1777 for bug 1

On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 2:51 PM, Tom <email address hidden> wrote:
> I am curious about setting up a login to a Ctirx server btw. Could you give links or contact me off-list?

I have sent you information.

> Also a LOT of times i find that people claim to have become infected by
> some sort of virus as a way out of admitting they might have done
> something themselves to create the problem. [...] Ok, so
> i've not found people doing that but they do somehow install all sorts
> of strange crap and then blame anyone but themselves for having tons of
> toolbars in their web-browser.

In the case I mentioned there were viruses - definitely. And with IE
(needed for work by this person) without any adblocker etc whereever
you go you see at least 5 download buttons - even if you don't want
to - it is easy to accidently download wrong things. Horror!

> 1. Under coordinated attacks from thousands or millions of machines all at the same time
> 2. One network of servers that was left unpatched for 6 years and didn't even have a maintenance chap sweeping away
> cobwebs between machines! Not even so much as a reboot or even a glance through their logs.

I worked at a company where security issues of several web apps
(written in PHP) were used to drop other PHP web apps and so they got
an MP3 and video host (of course just for a while until the admin
noticed it).

> On the other hand i have seen people having to reboot Windows servers
> every few days and keep patched wekly and put a lot of time into dealing
> with all sorts of petty issues even for a simple internet-gateway,
> little more than a router really.

Yup, I know. Of course, windows usually needs more attention. However,
in such things I don't want to compare a pitty situation (Linux) with
a total desaster (Windows). I want to have problems solved instead of
being happy, that I am not worse. ;-)

> As for Gnu&Linux getting infected it's a relative term. People i have had to trust have given me infected files which my
> system remained immune to and oblivious of and then i have passed the file on to other people.
> Nowadays i tend to run an antivirus program purely to stop myself accidentally passing on such infected files from other
> people.

Some people say that if Linux would be more widely used there would be
more virus for it. I am not sure - I think there are some differences
in the system (e.g. the executable flag) that make life harder for a
Virus. Other things, like not working with full admin permissions is
something that in the meantime even Windows users do in many cases and
something like sudo (confirm administrative tasks) also exists on
Windows in the meantime.

> People such as Google are known to respond quickly if/when problems
> arise. They don't spend the best part of 3 years adamantly insisting
> there is no problem

Don't know - I have written them of the probably hijacked server, but
no response since then.

Greetings, Martin.