Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 38

I've been getting a lot of questions at work about whether there is a chance of getting a virus on these things. Has anybody heard about this? I have McAfee virus protection for my PC but does it look for viruses that might be directed to the PalmOS??

Any help appreciated..

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 33

A virus is just the term used for a computer program that some jerk wrote because he wants attention or something. Like ALL software, a virus can only run on the computer it was written for. So PC viruses CANNOT be "transmitted" to your Palm. However, if someone decides to write a virus that screws up palms, of course you can get one -- provided YOU install it (just like any other palm app). The best virus protection is to know where your software has come from. And no, McCafee will not detect viruses for other types of systems. I've never heard of a Palm virus anyway, but if you're worried about them, you always have backups...Don't you?

Happy Palming

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 74

I think that a lot of people have databases on their Palms that are not backed up and are at risk if Palm viruses start to appear.

Maybe one reason that they haven't appeared yet is because there are only a few sources to download Palm software from, other than the authors. It would be a little difficult for virus writers to get their code into applications for mass distribution. Also the mode of distribution for Palm software is not from Palm to Palm for the most part.

But I'm sure there's some jerk out there who's probably written a Palm virus already, and Macaffee is also probably planning software to combat it.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: East Lansing, MI, USA
Posts: 126

And also to get rid of it all you'd have to do is take out the batteries. Poof. All data gone including viruses.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 38

Thanks everyone- I do backup often and you all raise good points. I wonder if transmission rates will increase when we are all fully web-enabled with our Visors and open to email viruses and the like. At least it is pretty easy to clean the memory of these units. Back-up module is looking better and better!
--Charles

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

IMHO, the reason that there are not any known PalmOS virii is that there are very few ways to distribute it further. You have to knowingly say yes to accepting a PalmOS program, so the only thing right now would be a Trojan Horse program. Maybe down the line when Java and other things get implemented the PalmOS will be more hacker-friendly.

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James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.Hromadka.com

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 33

How 'bout a virus that detects a beam and beams itself along with the data actually intended upon being beamed. Ouch! Talk about contagous. We beam quite a bit at my company.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 231

As others have said, you should be ok as long as you backup your data and that should be all we have to worry about. Anyway since the OS is ROM (non-flash) none of that data will be affected, right?

[This message has been edited by swendor (edited 01-17-2000).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Well, before a program is installed on your PalmOS-compatible it asks if you want to install it.

So don't install "pAlmkIllEr"

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James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.Hromadka.com

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 74

If I was really evil, I would write a virus that would intermittantly transmit the VCR Plus Codes for Richard Simmons Dream Maker throught the IR port. Yikes!!