RE: AS/400 discussion on SLASHDOT.ORG

["Shaw, David" <dshaw@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> 
> Also in the spate of recent interest about Computer Viruses, 
> I have been 
> mentioning to one & all that AS/400 is immune from them, 
> mainly on ZD Net's 
> http://www.cybercrime.com/ message board & Norton Tech 
> Support forum for NAV 
> users on Win 9x/NT

Al,

Be careful about this particular claim.  The /400 is extremely resistant to
malicious code, especially if it's administered well, but it's not immune
(unless it's shut off, of course ;).  There are certain specific types of
malicious code which aren't relevant to the /400 because of its
architecture, but there are also some unique exposures for the same reason.
Certainly the typical Wintel or *nix virus creator would have great
difficulty in learning enough to be able to create and release one for the
/400, but there are people who do have the requisite knowledge.  Up to now
none of them have had the motivation, but there's NO guarantee that that
will last.

Dave Shaw
Spartan International, Inc.
Spartanburg, SC
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