First (proof-of-concept) .NET virus

Juergen Kreileder writes "Symantec says they've received W32.Donut, the first .NET virus: 'This virus targets EXE files that were created for the Microsoft .NET framework. W32.Donut is a concept virus. It does not have any significant chance to become wide spread. However it shows that virus writers are paying close attention to the new .NET architecture and attempting to learn how to exploit it before the Framework will be available on most systems.'"

heh

[kitts]

This is, of course, not counting the slightly philosophical argument that .NET is the first .NET virus.

A concept virus?

[k98sven]

Sounds like the vaporware phenomenon has extended to virii.

The real question at hand:

[Ieshan]

If Symantec were to host a poll that asked:

Is Microsoft .NET secure, after we found the first virus to infect the software:
a) Yes
b) No
c) Hell No

Would a) be the most popular choice because of Microsoft Vote-Rigging and Ballot Stuffing? ;)

Mono

[gordon_schumway]

But does it work in Mono?

It had to be said

[Anonymous Coward]

If you build it , they will sploit. And sometimes they'll be in line, waiting before it even premiere's

l337 hax0r

[xg0blin]

Wow, he managed to make a virus that infects MICROSOFT software? Holy crap....

Did anybody else..

[mandolin]

..read that as "Symantec says they've released W32.Donut, the first .NET virus"?

Now that's a business strategy.

And .NET...

[xanadu-xtroot.com]

...was "voted" [slashdot.org] to be the "Platform of Choice" [zdnet.co.uk].

lol

I tossed .NET in the fire and this came up!

[Dutchmaan]

One OS to rule them all, one OS to find them, one OS to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.

Wow...

[Wakko Warner]

...this is also quite possibly the first .NET application!

- A.P.

Homer Sez

[ocie]

MMMMM, W32.Donut.

Re:.NET?

[Anonymous Coward]

.NET is an internet suffix like .com .edu .org .gov... After the DivX/DIVX debacle, I doubt a company like Microsoft would choose to recycle names and cause confusion.

The torch has been passed

[evilviper]

The torch has been passed...

Outlook -> .NET

Re:Sick of this sh*t

[corbettw]

"However experts say emergence of the "proof of concept" virus means the industry needs to invest in changing the way antivirus software works and adapt it to new environments.

Sigh. I must be in the minority thinking that the applications themselves can be written with security in mind. "

What the "experts" really mean is they have to completely rewrite their anti-virus software to be .NET compatible, and that everyone will have to buy brand new copies of those programs. So when M$ says that .NET is good for business, we know they're right about at least one business (anti-virus software).

fa!

[Anonymous Coward]

so I'm curious. Is it easier to write viruses for .NET or is it easier to write viruses for Java?

Virus?

[Anonymous Coward]

but I thought that .NET was a virus

Re:The real question at hand:

[Xenopax]

What would be the results if Microsoft held this poll?

Is Microsoft .NET secure, after Symantec found the first virus to infect the software:

a) Yes
b) Sure
c) You bet!

Re:The real question at hand:

[cscx]

a) Yes, Microsoft are evil soulless monsters
b) No, "a" would be popular because it's true
c) No, /.ers would flood the poll towards c
d) No, polls are always accurate
e) fish.

You forgot:

f) CowboyNeal.NET

.NET pricing model

[thrillbert]

Small Developer

$1,000 per year +

$1,500 per application

Large Developer

$10,000 per year +

$1,500 per application

Virus Developers

$1,200 per year +

$0.25cents per computer infected*

* Tracking provided by Bill Gate's Email Tracking System(tm)

Re:Even if I hate .NET, I have to be realistic...

[Kallahar]

You said "Internet Shopping" when you should have said "AOL Shopping". If I want to buy a book online I don't want to be forced to sign up with AOL.

Repeat after me: AOL is not the internet.

Re:Makes me Shudder

[Zico]

I see this .NET stuff being unleashed upon us with holes in it before it even gets started.

Ermmm, which holes? You *did* read the article right? Or did you just not understand it?

I looked directly at the face of evil.

[tuxlove]

I attended Bill Gates' keynote address at the CES convention this week. I (admittedly naively) expected something a little less partisan than what I saw, being that keynote speeches tend not to be so proprietary in nature. Okay, stupid me. But even in my wildest nightmares I never would have expected such blatant advertisement for Microsoft.

I went just because I wanted to see Bill himself for some odd reason (I guess just to say that I did), and I paid the price. It was 1.5 hours of overproduced propaganda for M$ home electronics, ranging from the X Box to home automation to PDAs to music players to just about anything that could possibly have a single byte of M$ software grafted into it. Billy made it clear that they will dominate the world in all arenas, and I almost literally came away shaking.

Central to many of the things he and his buddies demonstrated there seems to be .NET. Pretty much all of the devices are networked, either through hard lines or wireless, and are Internet ready. After seeing how the M$ television set notifies you of (and lets you view) instant messages, for example, I had to wonder if some day hackers will occupy their time busting into your home appliances with VB script.

It's definitely time to be scared. The day may soon arrive when you pay M$ licensing fees with every toaster oven purchased, and even your freaking toilet can be hacked.