security snake-oil

[Gadi Evron]

There is an interesting discussion on the funsec mailing list
regarding a new vendor promising a virus proof computer. Which is
naturally complete nonsense (without ever checking out their product
or web [age, I am sure I am correct, which is big of me).

"Sometimes it's not as important to know HOW it works, just that it
DOES work!"

Australian Technicians Develop Virus Proof Computers
http://www.seekingmedia.com.au/news.php?newsid=857&g=-1

According to the thread, they promise they will format your computer
if they are wrong:
-----
WHAT IF IN 3 YEARS TIME SOMEONE DEVELOPS A VIRUS FOR THE VIRUSPROOF
COMPUTER?

* Currently all VirusProof computers come with a 5 year warranty
on virus contamination. This means that if, within the first five
years of ownership, your VP computer develops a virus, we will re-
instate, for free, your computer to exactly as it was when you first
received the computer. All users are required to arrange delivery and
pickup from our Sydney factory.
-----

It was interesting to see this kind of behavior in my field. Although
Alan Solomon said on the threat that he had seen this happen 12 years
ago already. Nothing is really new, I suppose.

Gadi.

[Wade T Smith]

On 11 12, 2009, at 21:21:54, Gadi Evron wrote:

> There is an interesting discussion on the funsec mailing list regarding a new vendor promising a virus proof computer. Which is naturally complete nonsense (without ever checking out their product or web [age, I am sure I am correct, which is big of me).

OSX has been virus-free for over eight years now. But, yeah, Apple has not, ever, marketed them as being virus-free, even though they are.

- Wade

[Gadi Evron]

Untrue, but let's not argue religion? :)

> - Wade
>
>
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[Jim Prescott]

I suspect that Apple's virus-free status has much to do with the likelihood
that a mischief-maker would rather screw with a million PC users in one shot
than 24 Apple users!

Jim Prescott

"Still Alive!....Who saw THAT comin'?"

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wade T Smith" <skep...@earthlink.net>
To: "Scientific discussion of extraordinary things" <ske...@lists.opn.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 9:29 PM
Subject: Re: security snake-oil

>
> On 11 12, 2009, at 21:21:54, Gadi Evron wrote:
>
>> There is an interesting discussion on the funsec mailing list regarding a
>> new vendor promising a virus proof computer. Which is naturally complete
>> nonsense (without ever checking out their product or web [age, I am sure
>> I am correct, which is big of me).
>
> OSX has been virus-free for over eight years now. But, yeah, Apple has
> not, ever, marketed them as being virus-free, even though they are.
>