Antivirus

[WizardStan]

So I was talking to my local sysadmin about the possibility of linking my forthcoming Pandora to the office network so I could get it on the internet while at work. He's familiar with the project and is looking forward to hearing more, but unfortunately company policy requires that any system that connects to the network must be protected by an antivirus program. Huge company, and getting policy changes is about as easy as something that isn't very easy at all. Realistically, the odds of getting a Pandora virus is effectively 0%, but policy is policy.
Is there anything out there I might be able to recompile when the time comes, or should I start working on something from scratch?

 

[Chip]

Write a virus for the Pandora. Then write a program that searches for that virus. Install that program on your Pandora. Congratulations, you now have an antivirus program that detects 100% of all Pandora viruses.

 

[Mithrildor]

Lol.

 

[Parkydr]

I use ClamAV on my Linux box - should work for the Pandora

 

[MDave]

Tell them this, the whole operating system IS anti-virus

 

[donny662]

Parkydr beat me to it.

Try http://www.clamav.net/

 

[HackModford]

:rolleyes: Policies...

 

[Patrick R Ludvigsen]

Write a virus for the Pandora. Then write a program that searches for that virus. Install that program on your Pandora. Congratulations, you now have an antivirus program that detects 100% of all Pandora viruses.

this, then give yourself $49.99

 

[Username]

I use ClamAV on my Linux box - should work for the Pandora

This. Also, how would they know if you do or don't? You could just write a program that pretends to look for viruses but really just wastes time.

 

[HackModford]

That might actually work come to think of it... I mean, your boss likes the Pandora so just make something that blocks all of the 0 Pandora Viruses

 

[dflemstr]

CODE

#!/bin/bash
while true
do
echo "Scanning... Viruses found so far: 0"
sleep 5
done

exit 0


There's your antivirus program for you

 

[WizardStan]

This. Also, how would they know if you do or don't? You could just write a program that pretends to look for viruses but really just wastes time.
It has to be submitted to the network admin for approval who then signs off on whether it's protected or not.
My backup plan is to use find + xargs + grep to look for "known signatures" (ie, nothing, but it looks like it does something)
My backup backup is to slip him $20.

 

[HackModford]

:rolleyes: What a predicament...

I got an idea... I'm not very knowledgeable about networks, but can't you link your pandora to the your PC so that it's using it's internet connection? That way your computer would handle the viruses.

 

[borgqueenx]

if the pandora gets homebrew written for the pandora, and not stuff from other homebrew devices, the pandora will get unique stuff, and wont get any virus, unless someone will fool you with a virus, that hides itself inside a application. If you cant run homebrew from other devices, this thread is pointless and should be closed...

 

[sindbad]

If the network admin is smart enough, he'll know you don't need anything and will leave you alone (or at worst make you install ClamAV). If he's not, you can trick him.

You only have a problem if he's both a complete idiot AND un-bribable.

 

[Squidge]

If the network admin is smart enough, he'll know you don't need anything and will leave you alone (or at worst make you install ClamAV). If he's not, you can trick him.

Unfortunately, network admins sometimes read magazine articles, and those articles tell you that Linux can run infected Windows executables and then spread throughout the network. Therefore they require you to install antivirus not just for Linux apps, but for Windows ones too.

A company I'm not going to mention does go one stage further with there policies however. They only allow PCs and devices running Windows to be attached to the network! There excuse is that they need to ensure that an authorised anti virus program has been installed and configured correctly (as in, full scan run at 9am every day, just as you want to start work, to annoy you as much as possible) before allowing access to the network, and the only OS they support is Windows XP. The only Antivirus they allow is AVG Corporate Edition connected to the "Antivirus" server for updates, control, and logs. Yes, the Antivirus must submit it's scan report to the central server each day, or its barred from the network.

 

[WizardStan]

The policy isn't that restrictive. Something about updateable definition files and daily scans, but nothing specific. The network admin is a pretty good guy, he knows the odds of an ARM Linux virus getting onto my Pandora AND being able to cause any problems whatsoever is zero, but I work for a global company and security audits can happen at any time. We just need something to cover our butts should it get noticed. ClamAV looks like it'll fit the bill perfectly.

 

[CCmachined]

A company I'm not going to mention does go one stage further with there policies however. They only allow PCs and devices running Windows to be attached to the network! There excuse is that they need to ensure that an authorised anti virus program has been installed and configured correctly (as in, full scan run at 9am every day, just as you want to start work, to annoy you as much as possible) before allowing access to the network, and the only OS they support is Windows XP. The only Antivirus they allow is AVG Corporate Edition connected to the "Antivirus" server for updates, control, and logs. Yes, the Antivirus must submit it's scan report to the central server each day, or its barred from the network.



Wow, that's incredibly stupid. Surprises me that a big corporation can be that technologically ignorant.

 

[EvilDragon]

Heh, never seen such stupidity of a company ever... and after all, the viruses most linux virus scanners do find are Windows viruses - as Linux PCs in companies are most often used as servers and with that they do protect the Windows clients...

The possibility that someone writes an ARM virus that will work on the Pandora does exist... but it's about as big as a big airplane will crash into the server room of your company... and does your company have an SDI installed?

 

[Monk]

You could just write a program that pretends to look for viruses but really just wastes time.

Would this REALLY be that different to most of the AntiVirus packages out there?