Re: Anti-virus for i5OS

[David Gibbs <david@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe Pluta wrote:
> I would agree that the JVM is a possible vector for bad things to 
> happen.  On the other hand, I don't know of an anti-virus program that 
> looks for Java bytecode viruses.  I did find that the Microsoft JVM had 
> a ByteCode verification exploit.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think Symantec AV has detected possible 
bytecode viruses from websites that tried to install an applet on my 
machine.  It was a while ago ... and, as I said, I'm not sure.

> I can't figure out, though, how a virus would be able to exploit that.  
> You'd actually have to give write access to the directory where your 
> Java classes live.  That's a little different than a shared folder.  I 
> mean, if you give write access to root, you're in deep doo-doo no matter 
> how many anti-virus programs you run

No argument ... but, IMO, now-a-days most viruses spread through user 
stupidity.

"Dear System i User, this is IBM support, our predictive failure system 
has detect that your machine will experience catastrophic system error 
within 24 hours if you do not apply a critical patch.  Please signon to 
your system as QSECOFR, upload the attached PTF to your system, and run 
the program.  This will correct the defect and your system will not 
fail.  Thank you very much.  P.S. Due the the urgent nature of this 
patch, normal support will not be aware of it.  Please do not bother 
them by calling."

david