GreyCloud wrote:
> I'm looking for the core details as to why UNIX doesn't get viruses.
> Any thoughts on the technical details?

I think in theory UNIX can get viruses.

In Windows, it seems that to do anything very useful you need to be a
least a power user and in many cases administrator. I use my Windows box
as admin all the time, since I get fed up with the hassles if I don't.

When my wifes grandchildren wanted to use my PC, again I found the only
way they could do what they wanted was to be admin.

In contrast, I rarely log in as root on my UNIX boxes.

This means that any exploit will not get too far. My web server has
been hacked a couple of times, due to exploits in a CGI script and
phpBB. But they can't do a lot of damage, since they are only have
rights of user nobody. Had the webserver run as root, they could have
done a lot more damage. It seems the Windows source code, which starts like

#include
#include
#include
#include
#include
#include

is part of the problem - the origin of the code base is something was
designed as single user, with no thought for security.

--
Dave K MCSE.

MCSE = Minefield Consultant and Solitaire Expert.

Please note my email address changes periodically to avoid spam.
It is always of the form: month-year@domain. Hitting reply will work
for a couple of months only. Later set it manually.