Virus Thread

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Should REACTOS be JUST a Windows Clone or an Amplified and modified Operating System, capable of Handling Windows software?

Poll ended at Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:36 am

1. Yes
2
17%
2. No
3
25%
3. I dunno......
7
58%
 
Total votes: 12

pratik_mullick
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Virus Thread

Post by pratik_mullick »

Hello people! I dont want to scare anybody into thinking that the site has a virus....... but i am asking that since REACTOS is in developement stage, I would like to see it not having the problems of dealing with security threats, the same problem the guys in MS (guess?) faced, as a result, SP1 and later SP2 were released. Since the goal of REACTOS is to implement Windows programs, not a Windows clone! Im no techie, but i guess that after using both Windows XP Home and SuSE Linux, i feel it safer to browse the net using Linux. Since linux is under GPL, couldnt you guys add some Linux code into REACTOS, to make it less prone to viruses, and spyware and adware?
frik85
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Re: Virus Thread

Post by frik85 »

The ReactOS® project is dedicated to making Free Software available to everyone by providing a ground-up implementation of a Microsoft Windows® XP compatible operating system. ReactOS aims to achieve complete binary compatibility with both applications and device drivers meant for NT and XP operating systems, by using a similar architecture and providing a complete and equivalent public interface.

Although Free Software advocates agree that free software operating systems improve the state of the art by fostering competition, ReactOS has practical benefit for others, too; ReactOS is the most complete working model of a Windows® like operating system available. Consequently, working programmers will learn a great deal by studying ReactOS source code and even participating in ReactOS development.

ReactOS components are growing more and more compatible with equivalent, closed source alternatives, but ReactOS doesn't simply stop at an arbitrary line in the sand. ReactOS has and will continue to incorporate new versions of the Win32 API and so will track and sometimes even define the state of the art in operating system technology. Rather than using current technology as a limit on our activities, we are constantly incorporating features from newer versions as well.
Linux = kernel only, no operating system; well you mean distributions that are not secure more per se.

W32 is widely used and therefore target number one for exploits, attacks, etc.

Linux & Co. have only a minor marketshare that's why there currently only a few bad software around.
Look at MacOS X, anti-virus-program vendors start to promote their apps for that operating system and the first real bad software is coming as well.

btw. ReactOS does use some code (e.g. cromwell USB) which has been written for Linux.
ScoTTie
Posts: 165
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:40 am

Post by ScoTTie »

Anything thats executable on Windows will most probably end up being executable on ReactOS (thats the aim of the project), the difference is that ReactOS will not have the same bugs as Windows so Worms like MyDoom will have no effect. Most viruses/worms/etc.. these days use social engineering anyway which really has nothing to do with the underlying OS just stupid users.
Coviti
Posts: 300
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:26 am

Post by Coviti »

Okay, here is how things are:

ReactOS is going to be 100% compatible with ALL windows applications and drivers, which means that it will also be vulnerable to Windows viruses (Except those caused by bugs in Windows). However, Anti-virus software does exist, and if common sense is used all virus infections can be avoided.

Think about it, really. Viruses are Windows applications. How can you be compatible with some applications and not others? The world is not that simple. If you're going to be compatible with Windows applications, it's one heck of a good bet you're going to be vulnerable to the same malware as Windows.

Now, in the future, if someone wants to fork ReactOS and turn it into a completely different OS, that's their choice, but I don't think it is a reasonable expectation for this project's main goal to change entirely, when there are completely acceptable alternatives.
frik85
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Post by frik85 »

Coviti wrote:Think about it, really. Viruses are Windows applications. How can you be compatible with some applications and not others? The world is not that simple. If you're going to be compatible with Windows applications, it's one heck of a good bet you're going to be vulnerable to the same malware as Windows.
Currently, most "attacks" are caused by worms, exploits, etc. (written in Assembler or vbscript); traditional viruses are not usual anymore, the floppy-disc era was in the 80- and 90-ties.
billyswong
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Location: Hong Kong, China

Post by billyswong »

frik85 wrote:Currently, most "attacks" are caused by worms, exploits, etc. (written in Assembler or vbscript); traditional viruses are not usual anymore, the floppy-disc era was in the 80- and 90-ties.
"Traditional viruses/worms" are still there. It is just that floppy-disk evolves into email and IM, which spread faster. And so we see antivirus companies add email and IM "protection" for people.
oiaohm
Posts: 1322
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:40 am

Post by oiaohm »

Simple cure.

When reactos get a virus problem. Just add a default antivirus with real time scanning. Ok little bit hard to develop this for reactos.
W32 is widely used and therefore target number one for exploits, attacks, etc.
I disagree. This is a dead argument that turned into a Zombie. It not uncommon to find 200 virus exploiting the same secuirty hole under windows.

If reactos does not leave as many secuirty holes open this will be less of a problem. IIS is the most attack Web server(browser was a typo) even that its market share is no where near as high. Also firefox is also attacked you normally don't see anymore than 1 or 2 different attacks on a firefox weakness. And those are not self replicating.

The normal order. Secuirty flaw-Datathiefs/Spyware/malware-Virus Writer.

Ie Data theifs use most flaws before Virus Writers explot them. If something is getting viruses released for it. Normally is that the maintains have not fixed after the warning signs.

It also does not help that virus company don't have a common naming system. So one virus might have 50 names as well.
Last edited by oiaohm on Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
w3seek
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Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:12 am

Post by w3seek »

So if you vote for 1. yes or for 2. no, what exactly do you vote for? I guess everybody should just select 3. dunno :P
kopinux
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:00 am

Post by kopinux »

i would like it to be clone.
i view it as an opensource windows.

if you want a different os that handles windows apps, there is always linux+wine.
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