Talk:Magic Lantern (spyware)

A few questions:

1. Wouldn't ctrl+alt+del on a windows box show the program running, and let you shut it down? If not, why not?

1. Wouldn't your firewall notify you if this program wanted to call out? (Everyone should have a firewall, IMHO, yes, even if you're on dialup; WinME 4.90.300 for instance tries to call out occasionally, regardless of what options the user sets about updating everything manually; that's the version pre-installed on my box; no, I don't know if any patches for that have been released).

1. If no to both of the above, what is the program? A plugin to, say, Systray or Windows Explorer?

1. Are people using linux at less risk (they tend to be "under the hood" of their computers more)?

1. Are people using Macs at less risk? (any way to find out if the FBI has ported the prog to macs?)

Beau regards, a good article otherwise. I know the FBI is keeping mum about it, "of course." --KQ

Ad 1+3: Only if ML ran as an application. There are other ways. What about replacing the keyboard driver with a custom version?

Ad 2: With admin rights, there are ways around these, too. Note that latest worms (e.g. "Goner") try to disable personal firewalls and virus scanners.

As to whether Linux or Mac (or BeOS or FooOS) users are at less risk: Obscurity of an operating system, hardware platform, or mail program may save you, but MacOS is not nearly scarce enough that the FBI won't bother to write a version for it.

As with all viruses/worms/security threats good practices may prevent problems. Linux was one of the first "home" OSs encouraging the use of a not-all-powerful account for things like reading mail — but newer Windowsii and MacOS X followed suit. Compromising an account and trojanising at least some of the tasks done from an account is certainly possible; but without admin rights modifications can be much less stealthy.

The lack of all-out virus vectors on Unix has also done its bit. --Robbe