[HLUG] Botnets

[dicegeorge at hotmail dot com]

and the social engineering ones
where they pretend to be a friend or your bank
and ask for your passwords
can get linux users too..
~
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From: "COLIN GITTINGS" <ca_gittings at btinternet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:43 PM
To: "HLUG Herefordshire Linux Users Group." 
<herefordshire at mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [HLUG] Botnets

> Hi all,
>
> I think it would be good to address the classic "we're not at risk" 
> viewpoint.
>
> Its good that BCC Click program raised that point, although invariably 
> there is more to it than that.
>
> Although significantly more secure than Windoze we should still look to 
> protect ourselves as there is malicious software targeting unix-like 
> (including Mac-OS) systems. Linux magazine ran a root-kit special feature 
> over the past year which highlighted one potential risk. I seem to 
> remember a Mac-OS virus hitting the news in the last 6 months also, 
> althougfh I'm not sure on that one.
>
> For example, just because someone runs Linux, if they run as root all the 
> time they are just as vulnerable as other less secure operating systems. 
> If you like, the system is as secure as the user who operates it but you 
> can only mitigate the risk, not eliminate it completely.
>
> Mind you, given that most virus' are M$ based you could consider your 
> virus checker (ClamAV in my case) as a public service in addition to 
> protecting your own machie(s) as it will invariably locate many more 
> Windoze based exploits than Linux based exploits..
>
> In essence there are viruses and other malware that target Linux, its just 
> that there are a lot (!!!!) less of them, thus the risk is much lower. 
> Combine that with a user who operates his system wisely (i.e. good 
> passwords and not running as root more than necessary) then Linux does put 
> up an excellent defence.
>
> Apologies if that came across as a rant or "over the top", but I think it 
> better we know we are not invulnerable even if we are one step ahead of 
> most other OS's.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Colin
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: TONY MCQUEEN <oak.organics at btinternet.com>
> To: HLUG Herefordshire Linux Users Group. 
> <herefordshire at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Sent: Tuesday, 31 March, 2009 1:44:04 PM
> Subject: [HLUG] Botnets
>
> I see the TV program click has revealed (via the honeynet project) that 
> botnets operate on linux/unix machines. And I thought we were safe...
>
> Tony McQueen
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