(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

If you try very hard
add Wine
and click past all the warnings
you too can have your very own virus
http://blog.opensourcenerd.com/i-can-haz-virus

We also offer - is it Fprot or Clam as a download? - to clean Windows
Viral infestations (from Puppy but not on Puppy)
You will of course need a Windows machine for that

If you are training to be a Tin Hat, you might like to scare yourself with this info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

This post part of the 'Lobster makes Windows users Welcome Program'

Keep informed. Stay smart. Use Puppy.

Lobster- Stay smart, use Puppy?

Err.......am I not running as ROOT when I use Puppy? That makes it easier for the baddies doesn't it?

Gerry

Use GROWL

read this section
Multi user support in Puppy and Grafpup Linux - my thoughts by Nathan Fischer
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/BlackOps

Puppy is safer running from CD/DVD or USB keydrive
than installed systems

Don't repeat Linux mantras
I recently heard that Windows 7 is safer than Linux
(I think that came from Redmond)

It's not simply a 'Linux mantra'. One thing that always gets overlooked in discussions about security while running Puppy, is that even though your own system maybe rebootable to a pristine state, this does not mean that your system was not used by some rootkit or other malware while you were on-line. Even when some 'security-checking' sites or programs indicate that you are safe, you may be, in fact, unwillingly participating in someone's botnet or other illicit/unethical activities.

Just one thing: beware of the ~/.wine/dosdevices/z: symlink. (I always make sure to delete it.)
It's a bit silly of WINE to include it, and under Puppy running as root, it offers a mighty nice way for any win-virus to screw with one's files.

amigo wrote:It's not simply a 'Linux mantra'. One thing that always gets overlooked in discussions about security while running Puppy, is that even though your own system maybe rebootable to a pristine state, this does not mean that your system was not used by some rootkit or other malware while you were on-line. Even when some 'security-checking' sites or programs indicate that you are safe, you may be, in fact, unwillingly participating in someone's botnet or other illicit/unethical activities.

Conjectures about Puppy users running as root have been discussed ad nauseam. AFAIK this red herring was put to bed long ago, where were you?

PC security is comprised of many issues. Anyone who claims running as root is paramount just doesn't understand the subject.

Indeed. For instance: Firefox hit by multiple drive-by download flaws.

Most attacks these days seem to be through the browser. After the attacker gets his nastygram onto your computer, it must be code that can be executed by your CPU. I suppose in theory that implies it could be OS independent. That is, it could run despite the OS you're using. Perhaps a keylogger or some similar "application" could be downloaded through the browser and running in your computer without your knowing it. Who knows?

Audience,
Tips to protect you while online and off:

• Never share an entire drive and never share any directory that contains sensitive / valuable data or software.
• Make a single shared directory on each computer in your network. Keep it empty after your done using it. If you can't keep it empty then watch it like a hawk for any suspicious activity (file date changes, data corruption, etc, etc, etc).
• If you don’t absolutely need it (browser helper app) then don’t install it.
• If you don’t absolutely need it (any software) then don’t install it (or uninstall it when no longer needed).
• Never open email attachments or if it’s from someone you know ask yourself, did I request this and / or how much does this person know about security and viruses (before you open it).
• Close your browser when not in use.
• Set cookies to session only (until end of session) (aka cookies are lost at browser close).
• Disconnect from the internet when not in use. For broadband users this means turn off power to the modem (this is why it’s better to have the modem and router on different chassis).
• If you absolutely can’t disconnect from the internet then turn off computer when not in use.
• Clear your browsers history regularly.
• Set the history for as short a time as possible (or none at all).
• Use a Hosts File to protect you from malicious web sites.

I'm going to add this to the How To forum, when I'm not busy working on the wiki that is.