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Vista - Virus infection

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Old 02-11-2008   #1 (permalink)
A.


 
 

Virus infection

Hi

If I where to put a CD with a virus on it in my computer, could my computer
be infected if I only explore the top level of the files, and don't execute
any exe files? I also have Kaspersky AV installed as well.
If I'm not mistanken I have to actuelly run an exe file to execute a virus,
or am I wrong?

/A


My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-11-2008   #2 (permalink)
Bob F.


 
 

Re: Virus infection

"A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uLhY8jLbIHA.3400@xxxxxx
Quote:

> Hi
>
> If I where to put a CD with a virus on it in my computer, could my
> computer be infected if I only explore the top level of the files, and
> don't execute any exe files? I also have Kaspersky AV installed as well.
> If I'm not mistanken I have to actuelly run an exe file to execute a
> virus, or am I wrong?
>
> /A
Yes and no. If a CD has a virus on it, the transfer and execution mechanism
may be unknown to you. The virus file may look benign but it can be
transferred to one of your main drives, morph into a .exe and run. There
may be a co-conspirator program in your computer that could make this
happen. Best NOT to invite any virus into your computer whether you think
it can run or not. These guys are getting more and more clever.
Bob F.

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-11-2008   #3 (permalink)
A.


 
 

Re: Virus infection

Ok,

But the CD's in questions are 7-10 years old.
Would such old CD's still pose a problem for Vista? I mean, the Vista wasn't
even known back then.
But even though my AV didn't detect anything, should I reinstall my machine
(The AV hasn't found anything when I ran a full scan afterwards)

/A
"Bob F." <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23jypjqLbIHA.3940@xxxxxx
Quote:

> "A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:uLhY8jLbIHA.3400@xxxxxx
Quote:

>> Hi
>>
>> If I where to put a CD with a virus on it in my computer, could my
>> computer be infected if I only explore the top level of the files, and
>> don't execute any exe files? I also have Kaspersky AV installed as well.
>> If I'm not mistanken I have to actuelly run an exe file to execute a
>> virus, or am I wrong?
>>
>> /A
>
> Yes and no. If a CD has a virus on it, the transfer and execution
> mechanism may be unknown to you. The virus file may look benign but it
> can be transferred to one of your main drives, morph into a .exe and run.
> There may be a co-conspirator program in your computer that could make
> this happen. Best NOT to invite any virus into your computer whether you
> think it can run or not. These guys are getting more and more clever.
> Bob F.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-11-2008   #4 (permalink)
Bob F.


 
 

Re: Virus infection

"A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eQd6FuLbIHA.5248@xxxxxx
Quote:

> Ok,
>
> But the CD's in questions are 7-10 years old.
> Would such old CD's still pose a problem for Vista? I mean, the Vista
> wasn't even known back then.
> But even though my AV didn't detect anything, should I reinstall my
> machine (The AV hasn't found anything when I ran a full scan afterwards)
The issue is risk level. It's never zero, but in the case you just cited
it's pretty low...close to zero I'd think. There are no age limits for
programs to run. They may have been designed to run on an older machine and
still run fine on a new modern machines and OS's. They may or may not be
compatible.
Bob F.
Quote:

>
> /A
> "Bob F." <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%23jypjqLbIHA.3940@xxxxxx
Quote:

>> "A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:uLhY8jLbIHA.3400@xxxxxx
Quote:

>>> Hi
>>>
>>> If I where to put a CD with a virus on it in my computer, could my
>>> computer be infected if I only explore the top level of the files, and
>>> don't execute any exe files? I also have Kaspersky AV installed as well.
>>> If I'm not mistanken I have to actuelly run an exe file to execute a
>>> virus, or am I wrong?
>>>
>>> /A
>>
>> Yes and no. If a CD has a virus on it, the transfer and execution
>> mechanism may be unknown to you. The virus file may look benign but it
>> can be transferred to one of your main drives, morph into a .exe and run.
>> There may be a co-conspirator program in your computer that could make
>> this happen. Best NOT to invite any virus into your computer whether you
>> think it can run or not. These guys are getting more and more clever.
>> Bob F.
>

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-11-2008   #5 (permalink)
A.


 
 

Re: Virus infection

Quote:

>
> The issue is risk level. It's never zero, but in the case you just cited
> it's pretty low...close to zero I'd think. There are no age limits for
> programs to run. They may have been designed to run on an older machine
> and still run fine on a new modern machines and OS's. They may or may not
> be compatible.
> Bob F.
>
I guess I would be safe as long as Kaspersky didn't detect anything when I
browsed the CD's :, and when I ran the system scan.

/A.

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-11-2008   #6 (permalink)
Mark


 
 

Re: Virus infection

Not trying to berate you...
....but, if you are that worried about getting a virus from a 10 year old CD:

What are you doing on the internet?

Living in fear will cause you to die 10 years early.
It takes 20 minutes to restore a backup.

"A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ObS2C2LbIHA.3400@xxxxxx
Quote:

>
Quote:

> >
> > The issue is risk level. It's never zero, but in the case you just
cited
Quote:
Quote:

> > it's pretty low...close to zero I'd think. There are no age limits for
> > programs to run. They may have been designed to run on an older machine
> > and still run fine on a new modern machines and OS's. They may or may
not
Quote:
Quote:

> > be compatible.
> > Bob F.
> >
>
> I guess I would be safe as long as Kaspersky didn't detect anything when I
> browsed the CD's :, and when I ran the system scan.
>
> /A.
>

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-12-2008   #7 (permalink)
A.


 
 

Re: Virus infection

Hi

I'm not worried, but I found the questions a bit intriguing:-)
There's been a lot information about how secure Vista is supposed to be,
with the UAC, and IE in secure mode. And if say an old virus should surface,
how would Vista hold up againt it?
I guess viruses such as Melissa and Lovelettet wouldn't affect much harm on
a machine running Office/outlook 2007.
but quite often we see Windows XP machines get infected, and hope that
Vista's design would decrease this.

/A
"Mark" <jmhonzell@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23SKlSmNbIHA.2268@xxxxxx
Quote:

> Not trying to berate you...
> ...but, if you are that worried about getting a virus from a 10 year old
> CD:
>
> What are you doing on the internet?
>
> Living in fear will cause you to die 10 years early.
> It takes 20 minutes to restore a backup.
>
> "A." <andy.i@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:ObS2C2LbIHA.3400@xxxxxx
Quote:

>>
Quote:

>> >
>> > The issue is risk level. It's never zero, but in the case you just
> cited
Quote:
Quote:

>> > it's pretty low...close to zero I'd think. There are no age limits for
>> > programs to run. They may have been designed to run on an older
>> > machine
>> > and still run fine on a new modern machines and OS's. They may or may
> not
Quote:
Quote:

>> > be compatible.
>> > Bob F.
>> >
>>
>> I guess I would be safe as long as Kaspersky didn't detect anything when
>> I
>> browsed the CD's :, and when I ran the system scan.
>>
>> /A.
>>
>
>
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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