vintage computers and lead poisoning?

From: der Mouse <mouse_at_Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
Date: Fri Jun 4 23:17:59 2004

>>> But a worm is not a virus.
>> What's the difference?
> Worms propagate specifically by travelling over networks. Viruses
> (not 'virii' - learn Latin to know why)

Actually, given the hackish tendency to use `inappropriate' plural
forms (VAXen, cabeese, polygoose), I find its surface Latinity and deep
non-Latinity to be reasons to use, not reasons to avoid, "viri" and
"virii".

> can use a network to get from machine to machine, but they require
> some level, however minimal, of human assistance to load.

But where does "human assistance" end?

Presumably "installing $VULNERABLE_SOFTWARE" (say, unpatched IIS)
doesn't count, but, say, clicking on a vector email in Outlook does.
So what about setting Outlook up to check mail every five minutes (and
auto-display the first new mail when there is new mail)? What about
turning on javascript support in $WEB_BROWSER? What about setting up a
procmail rule to run email to a certain address through an
autoresponder program, when the autoresponder in question has a bug
that allows carefully crafted messages to execute arbitrary code? What
about installing an "upgrade" that reopens an old hole?

I guess it just seems to me like a pointless distinction, a difference
that makes no difference.

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Received on Fri Jun 04 2004 - 23:17:59 BST