OT: paging MAC expert(s) --- What's a Performa?

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Tue Nov 20 09:57:26 2001

I'm not awar of how this works on a MAC, but under Windows, the OS checks to see
what volumes are available to it on about a 1 Hz schedule. If a virus is
looking for a drive to infect, it finds it as soon as the OS says it's there,
and its dirty work begins. Unless you're using a utility that masquerades a
tape drive as a disk, e.g. TapeDisk or Direct-Tape-Access, both of which assign
a drive letter to the tape drive and allow you to put a Windows file system on
the tape, an application that deals directly with the tape has to be in place in
order to access it. Though an infected program can be stored on the tape, since
the OS can't do file I/O to/from the tape without help from a tape handler
application (not just the driver) the tape can't easily become a vehicle for
transfer of a virus unless you transfer an infected file to your newly cleaned
hard disk and subsequently execute it.

I'm told that there are completely different mechanisms in place on a MAC, and
that could make a huge difference.

If you want to sit with Sellam, it's not a problem for me. I'm sure he'll enjoy
the company.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Foust" <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: OT: paging MAC expert(s) --- What's a Performa?


> At 06:15 PM 11/19/2001 -0700, Richard Erlacher wrote:
> > Viruses can't deal directly with the tape, just
> >as the OS can't deal directly with the tape. A virus that gets onto a tape
> >won't be an executable, hence probably won't go there except in the form of
> >already-corrupted files.
>
> That's it. I'm going over to sit with Sellam.
>
> - John
>
>
Received on Tue Nov 20 2001 - 09:57:26 GMT