Re: Was [LI] Linux Virus scanners.; _Now futility of closed encryptation methods

["Shanker R Swaminathan" <CseWhiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Many good encryptation schemes are open and in the public domain- DES being
one of the earliest and PGP now-a-days. The DSA and RSA algorithims are
public knowledge. That did not make them less secure. In fact- since they
were open for all to see, it has became clearer that security of an
encryptation methon depends on the inherent strength of the method and not
by hiding the methgod itself. Military codes are supposed to be the
strongest hidden codes 'available' but many have been broken over the years.
Nobody has  managed to break PGP . Refer to Tanaenbaum for a short
introduction to encryptation and you will see the futility of trying to
break a method which uses a multiplication method of the order of 10^57 when
the ratio of the size of the universe to the size of the electron is only
10^42. Hiding things never work: someone can always dissassemble a program
to get to the original code! Make it open and swat design bugs which could
make things less secure.
Shanker

----- Original Message -----
From: Chetan Gopal Kashinath <chetugk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <linux-india@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 14, 1999 5:19 PM
Subject: Re: [LI] Linux Virus scanners.


> "Rajeev B.S.Rao" wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >    With all these mails about viruses I couldn't help asking these
> > questions.
> > 1) Can a linux virus scanner be coded to scan for virus of other
operating
> > system, ("Windows, prime example).
> >
> > 2) A long time ago, I had queried about linux viruses and the danger of
> > open source code. In essence, the answer was that viruses are created,
as
> > an answer to Microsoft's closed source, and other security policies, ie
> > vengence. And even if
> > a linux virus was created, it would be easy to track and remove.
> >
> > But virus's need not be the couse an effect of sadistic minds, to
paranoid
> > person like myself, a virus could be created, as a matter of greed. I.E
to
> > bypass security and restrictions, for economical gain. Hence I
re-iterate,
> > that if linux, has to be used in situations where security is essential,
> > like banks, companies, (or even lists) the modules for security cannot
be
> > designed, and then have it's source exposed for all to see. Any comments
> > on this? Or has the open source policy been changed, since the last time
I
> > read abbout it?
>
> continuing the thread, some time ago i had read that f-secure had released
> their popular anti-virus s/w even for linux. i dont know whether it is
free or
> not.
>
> chetu
> --
> Windows 95 is a 32 bit extension
> for a 16 bit OS
> originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor
> by a 2 bit company
> that cant stand 1 bit of competition.
>
>
>
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