Security

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Viruses and shared dives

0 helpful
7 replies

by bwalker

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
This may be a foolish question, but are there any recorded examples of a virus spreading itself across a network to drives that do not have file sharing enabled? Obviously I am not taking removable storage devices into account. Logic dictated to me that this is impossible, but I am not a coder.

7 replies

by ann777

If a server is infected by a virus or worm, then that virus or worm can affect anything on that box.

If a client is infected by a virus or worm, then ultimately any attached share can be affected. Subsequently, once the attached share is infected, that server is infected.

In other words, it is possible that anything on the server may be infected when the server is connected to an infected computer.

Removeable storage devices may also be infected with corrupted data when infections occur.

http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9906/11/worm.idg/

A direct quote from the above link:
"Because the virus scans and deletes files from all drives, C: through Z:, it is also capable of affecting shared drives on a network, such as the G: drive. Therefore, if a single networked user enables the worm, an entire network may lose its shared files, according to one company that was infected but didn't wish to be named."

by curacao_dejavu

virusses can only be spread through the network as long as the account that the virus use has permission to access and read/write into the share. To protect the shares use passords or in NT use permissions.

regards,

by curacao_dejavu

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci213306,00.html

A virus is a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else that causes some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note, as downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD. The source of the e-mail note, downloaded file, or diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. Some viruses wreak their effect as soon as their code is executed; other viruses lie dormant until circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!") and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require reformatting.
Generally, there are three main classes of viruses:

File infectors. Some file infector viruses attach themselves to program files, usually selected .COM or .EXE files. Some can infect any program for which execution is requested, including .SYS, .OVL, .PRG, and .MNU files. When the program is loaded, the virus is loaded as well. Other file infector viruses arrive as wholly-contained programsor scripts sent as an attachment to an e-mail note.

by curacao_dejavu

System or boot-record infectors. These viruses infect executable code found in certain system areas on a disk. They attach to the DOS boot sector on diskettes or the Master Boot Record on hard disks. A typical scenario (familiar to the author) is toreceive a diskette from an innocent source that contains a boot disk virus. When your operating system is running, files on the diskette can be read without triggering the boot disk virus. However, if you leave the diskette in the drive, and then turn the computer off or reload the operating system, the computer will look first in your A drive, find the diskette with its boot disk virus, load it, and make it temporarily impossible to use your hard disk. (Allow several days for recovery.) This is why you should make sure you have a bootable floppy.

Macro viruses. These are among the most common viruses, and they tend to do the least damage. Macro viruses infect your Microsoft Word application and typically insert unwanted words or phrases.

The best protection against a virus is to know the origin of each program or file you load into your computer or open from your e-mail program. Since this is difficult, you can buy anti-virus software that can screen e-mail attachments and also check all of your files periodically and remove any viruses that are found. From time to time, you may get an e-mail message warning of a new virus. Unless the warning is from a source you recognize, chances are good that the warning is a virus hoax.

Read more about it at:
> SearchSystemsManagement.com has many links related to virus.
> Search400.com has hundreds of links related to virus.
> Go to SearchSecurity.com for security-specific information on viruses.

www.whatis.com virus

This discussion is closed to new replies.