Virus Exchange (Poll)

[Chromatinfish 123]

The problem is there are far too many people here who don't even care about the risks of running malware samples because they're running it in a virtual machine or with deep freeze or something. These are the exact same people who will be blissfully unaware that malware can break out of a virtual machine (how many people pay attention to which version they have installed), it can send details of your IP address back to remote servers etc. The same with deep freeze. So what, it restores your computer back to it's normal state, that doesn't stop your IP being sent out, it doesn't stop a hacker exploiting your webcam to take pictures of you without your consent, it doesn't stop copies of the files on your computer being sent to a server. Just because you're using sandboxie, doesn't mean you're safe...I could continue.

Perhaps we should have a gun section, so people can just click the link that says "Shoot Myself".

Doesn't the virtual machine still use your physical hard drive? So malware could still wipe it out and access other files on your drive, including the main OS?

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

Perhaps the sensible suggestions spoken of earlier should simply be incorporated in wording the disclaimers to make them even more scary!! They could read: "Beware!!! What you are about to do may leave you neither recourse nor a path for retreat if you do not turn back now, and choose to stay your present course, better say your prays, activate the sandbox, or Enter into Shadow Mode", thus allowing one's self to yell defiantly: "My shields are up & I have my Virtual Machine image" (I don't know how to use yet)"..but Damn all the Photon Topedos anyway!!!!"

Doesn't the virtual machine still use your physical hard drive? So malware could still wipe it out and access other files on your drive, including the main OS?

I believe the VM is like sandboxie or Shadow Defender, and partitions the virtual (duplicated image) testing away from your real system. I think.

 

[Cowpipe]

Doesn't the virtual machine still use your physical hard drive? So malware could still wipe it out and access other files on your drive, including the main OS?

The hard drive on a virtual machine is basically just a file, like a container. So if the virus in a virtual machine wipes the drive, you basically just end up with a virtual machine with an empty hard drive, no harm to the host computer done.

Before virus formats the HDD:
______________
|                   |
|  hard-drive  |
|     ______    |
|    |  VM  |   |
|    | HD:  |   |
|    | files |   |
|    |_____|   |
| l33t files    |
|___________|

After virus formats the HDD:

______________
|                   |
|  hard-drive  |
|     ______    |
|    |  VM  |   |
|    | HD:  |   |
|    |        |   |
|    |_____|   |
| l33t files    |
|___________|

Stupid formatting You get the idea.

 

[Kate_L]

So ... what is the final result ?

 

[Cowpipe]

So ... what is the final result ?

There is no final result, Jack has the final say of what happens. I was simply interested in people's opinions and it seems opinion is split pretty much down the middle It's always good to have a discussion about these kind of things, and I think it's raised some good issues

 

[Jaspion]

The thing about testing with VM or Sandboxie, etc, not being safe because the malware will be able to read your files, send them, or at least your IP and some other info, take pictures, etc, is a very valid point, and I don't think everyone realizes this.

This is the kind of thing that should be in the disclaimer.

But the openness of this forum is what makes it great. We can change that (Jack can, actually), but that would change MT too, and maybe not in a good way.