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That would depend
if you run it as root... you're screwed. If you run it as a user... you get partially screwed but the OS will be intanct. Also to do so a lot of times required more than one step.

The key thing is Linux users as a rule, will not run any executable that is not from a known source. Even then we will generally question executables we get plus if there is no MD5 sums we don't run it but it gets /dev/null'd asap. If we download from the internet, we will again do a checksums as well as look to see if there are any recent documented issues with said executable.

Bottom line is:
1. It's pretty hard to auto execute on a Linux system.
2. Even if it was somehow accomplished the level of damage is contained to the user account (a good Linux user will always have a back-up they can recover from, CRON is your friend)
3. Linux users level of "paranoia" (for lack of better term) about executables and such are a really good defense.
4. Every new user we bring into the fold is educated on the evil's of running unkown applications, running as root and installing random unsigned applications from unknown or obscure websites.

As for the Mac... couldn't tell you yet. I haven't really played with it as much as I would like to.
Posted by: Linux User 147560   Posted on: 08/02/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Rep told me not to worry...  Mike Cox | 08/01/06
I always and always will continue to use Microsoft products, Mike.  Grayson Peddie | 08/01/06
8.2! Bravo  Reverend MacFellow | 08/02/06
Dinner with rep  rastaub | 08/02/06
Mike's heart  Yagotta B. Kidding | 08/02/06
Wow, Dinner.....  mypl8s4u2 | 08/02/06
Message has been deleted.  Jay E Court | 08/02/06
Message has been deleted.  plumnilly | 08/03/06
how does this make it a vulnerability  zzz1234567890 | 08/01/06
no OS can protect an ignorant user  zzz1234567890 | 08/01/06
Locking down an OS can prevent this.  B.O.F.H. | 08/02/06
Wow. for a "Toy OS"...  John Zern | 08/02/06
RBAC and MAC?  doas777 | 08/04/06
I am, for one, total impressed by this security classification happy  michael_t | 08/04/06
Certainly an OS can protect a user  docbillnet | 08/02/06
how does this make  plumnilly | 08/03/06
To be clear....  joshmaher | 08/01/06
More new Vista features that are NOT going to be there.. wink  michael_t | 08/01/06
I'm still waiting for the iTunes hack  Boot_Agnostic | 08/02/06
*Yawn*  John Zern | 08/02/06
YAWN: my reaction to all the "new" Vista features.... happy  michael_t | 08/02/06
Vista improvements  mlambert890@... | 08/02/06
I don't know how to put this, but this list of insignificant items  michael_t | 08/02/06
single multi-language image  plumnilly | 08/03/06
Well I don't have any P2P programs in my computer  Grayson Peddie | 08/01/06
not strictly true.  johnsmith222 | 08/01/06
Huh?  Grayson Peddie | 08/01/06
The Problem is....  aladorn@... | 08/02/06
As Isaac Asimov quoted...  A.Sinic | 08/03/06
Sure it can  voska | 08/02/06
well actually it can  galileon | 08/02/06
well the most secure OS some say  Quebec-french | 08/02/06
Hackers try to crack Windows PowerShell  Loverock Davidson | 08/02/06
And if you download and run an exe...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/02/06
What happens when you run an executable file  John Zern | 08/02/06
That would depend  Linux User 147560 | 08/02/06
On a Mac...  slingzenarrowzuvowtrayjissforchin | 08/02/06
Church of the Painful OS  Reverend MacFellow | 08/02/06
Dear Reverend  JWGasner@... | 08/02/06
Is this really a worm?  bc90292 | 08/02/06
Yes its a worm  A.Sinic | 08/03/06
By Definition it isn't a worm  codeguy007 | 08/03/06
Hackers try to crack csh  NonZealot | 08/02/06
Misleading? How about erroneous?  RocketEater | 08/02/06
Served its purpose  A.Sinic | 08/03/06
Stupid Article Title  TripleII | 08/02/06
Nobody Knew Malware Existed on Kazaa??  Sp00kE | 08/02/06
LOL  TripleII | 08/02/06
Really..  Wolfie2K3 | 08/03/06
Hackers tring to crack an MS windows component is really nothing  michael_t | 08/02/06
Tell that to hosting companies  codeguy007 | 08/03/06
Yet, even with "all these" PhP compromisses Apache stays UP and WORKING  michael_t | 08/03/06

What do you think?

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