backing up windows

[Michael Hipp]

burns wrote:

> However, there is a pseudo registry in Wine implementations. I checked
> the wine registry files in my Redhat 8.0 and the registry key that the
> worm looks for (according to CERT) is not present. That is not to say
> that the virus couldn't be modified to attack a wine-based Linux system,
> but then there is the additional hurdle of permission to modify
> root-controlled files.

The wine registry files aren't root controlled, they're in the user's 
.wine directory. And the virus adds its own entries in the registry 
using the Win32 API calls. But the autorun entry might be of no effect 
as Wine probably does not notice it. But it's important to realize the 
goal of Wine is to give a Windows app - whether malicious or beneficial 
- a near perfect simulated Windows environment to run in. So as Wine 
gets better, so does its ability to expose us to such malware.

Since, IIRC, Outlook, Outlook Express, and Internet Explorer are 
reported to run near perfectly in Wine (or Crossover Office), it would 
be prudent to assume a virus would have access to all the right 
facilities to run as normal. But I'm speculating alot.

It does, however, severely call into question our never ending efforts 
to be able to run Windows apps on Linux (VMWare, Win4Lin, Wine). Even if 
you only let half the camel into the tent, it still makes life in the 
tent alot worse.

Michael