[Off-topic] Java viruses (Was: Re: Plain text please ! (Was: Re: [boost] Re: build system?))

From: Valentin Bonnard (Bonnard.V_at_[hidden])
Date: 2000-07-29 18:45:22

David Allan Finch wrote:

> Valentin Bonnard wrote:
> 
> > (It isn't the HTML which contains viruses/worms/bombs, it's
> > the Java.* code. Never mind.)
> 
> You have seen or heard of a Java virus? 

I have never seen one. But Java is just another programming 
language, and one can write viruses in just any language.

> I think you are mistaking this with a Visual Basic virus. 

No, I know what Java is and what VB is.

> Java runs
> in a 'sandbox' which protects you from it getting at you OS
> without your specific concent unlike a M$ Visual Basic script
> which can scrible all over your M$ OS at it whim.

In theory. I have seen a Java program that had a tendancy to 
dump core. There are some Java-related exploit and I don't 
see why that would stop. There was also the mis-feature 
that once you have downloaded a Java bytecode and saved 
it on your disk, it can anything it wants (because it is then 
a local file).

-- 
Valentin Bonnard