Prove That Your EXE Isnt a Virus

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Oct 16th, 2002, 05:28 AM
macai

Prove That Your EXE Isnt a Virus

Is there a way to prove that, say, my EXE is not a virus? Because
alot of people have been iffy about rnuning my apps lately...
Oct 16th, 2002, 05:28 AM
Michael_Kamen

Yeah, post the sourcecode :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 05:43 AM
Justy

avoid calling your programs IAMAVIRUS.exe

:rolleyes:
Oct 16th, 2002, 06:27 AM
macai

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael_Kamen
Yeah, post the sourcecode :)

Most of my programs are open source...but the thing is, people
still hesitate to run the EXE that i compiled! There has to be a
way to show them that its not a virus, right?

VB Code:

Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim response As String
 
response = MsgBox("Do you wish to scan this dodgy looking application with your virus scanner before running?", vbYesNo + vbExclamation)
If response = vbYes Then
End
End If
   
End Sub

Oct 16th, 2002, 07:22 AM
si_the_geek

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Most of my programs are open source...but the thing is, people
still hesitate to run the EXE that i compiled! There has to be a
way to show them that its not a virus, right?

How would you be able to prove that?? Most people have virus scanner programs, but just because the virus scanner doesn't recognise a virus it deosn't mean that there isn't one there - it just doesn't know about that particular virus.

A program that simply deletes all files on the C drive isn't a virus as far as most virus scanners ae concerned ;)

Think about what YOU would need to hear to be persuaded that the program a stranger has just given you doesn't have any bad effects (intentional or not). I don't trust anything that people on this forum (or any others) write, I always compile the source code myself, even though I have 3 industrial strength virus scanners between me and the web.
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:24 AM
kleinma

there is no way to show your app is not a virus other than to let the people scan it themselves... how do you know anyfile is not a virus??? you have to trust Norton or Mcafee or whoever you use.. your users would have to do the same
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:26 AM
macai

Yeah, but i want some pursuadable text to show them
that "proves" its not a virus.
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:28 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Yeah, but i want some pursuadable text to show them
that "proves" its not a virus.

your home address and your burglar alarm code :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:32 AM
si_the_geek

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Yeah, but i want some pursuadable text to show them
that "proves" its not a virus.

Not possible! Like i said, think about what YOU would need to be persuaded by a random stranger!
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:33 AM
DeadEyes

Quote:

Yeah, but i want some pursuadable text to show them

The only way I could see that being possible is if you got a
independent third party to check your app then they could
encrypt, sign and ditribute it.
the user can they decrypt and verify.
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:36 AM
kleinma

yeah, what's to say explorer.exe isn't a virus??? nothing other than the fact that you trust microsoft because of their reputation... if you have an established website that offers applications to DL people will be more inclined to DL your apps than if they are just posted for DL somewhere
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:50 AM
macai

Quote:

Originally posted by DeadEyes
The only way I could see that being possible is if you got a
independent third party to check your app then they could
encrypt, sign and ditribute it.
the user can they decrypt and verify.

You mean that popup window saying "Do you trust stuff from
company 'blah'"?
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:51 AM
Michael_Kamen

Quote:

Originally posted by kleinma
yeah, what's to say explorer.exe isn't a virus???

Sometimes it acts just like a virus :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:59 AM
DeadEyes

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
You mean that popup window saying "Do you trust stuff from

I think that's more a digital certificate
I was thinking along the lines that when you encrypt a file
you can garentee it's contents have not been tampered with.
The crux of the point is that the distributing third party must be
trusted but that brings us back to square one, who can you trust?
Oct 16th, 2002, 08:00 AM
swatty

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Yeah, but i want some pursuadable text to show them
that "proves" its not a virus.

Ship a read me file with it.
In there you tell the user it can sue you if it is not the app you told them it was.
Give your adress and other details with it.
Some details (your working hours, do you have a dog at home, is your wife/husband alone when you are working, ...)
Oct 16th, 2002, 08:28 AM
macai

Quote:

Originally posted by swatty
Ship a read me file with it.
In there you tell the user it can sue you if it is not the app you told them it was.
Give your adress and other details with it.
Some details (your working hours, do you have a dog at home, is your wife/husband alone when you are working, ...)

All i have to do is just slip something in there that basically
says "by using my program, you agree to the blah blah
terms...these terms may change at any time and RF has no
obligation to inform you of this change...thank you." Then if they
sue me, i just change the terms and say the terms changed
yesterday. :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 08:31 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by swatty
Ship a read me file with it.
In there you tell the user it can sue you if it is not the app you told them it was.
Give your adress and other details with it.
Some details (your working hours, do you have a dog at home, is your wife/husband alone when you are working, ...)

swatty you stole my joke :mad:
Oct 16th, 2002, 08:58 AM
wpearsall

Quote:

Originally posted by DeadEyes
The only way I could see that being possible is if you got a
independent third party to check your app then they could
encrypt, sign and ditribute it.
the user can they decrypt and verify.

How bout checking if SourceForge.net will host your stuff?
If its all "GPL" ETC, Then they will most likely host if for ya,

They give you php/mysql hosting, build a decent website in no time at all (plenty of scripts out there ;))

==

Readme.txt:

EMail: (Something "Personal Looking" *FirstLetter_Of_FirstName*-*LastName*@my.com / @ My.host

Address:

XX Street Name
My Scruffy Town
Birmingham
UK
W.Mids
Postal Code

Tel No: (Put some modile No, [ then u can get a new chip or that if u get weird callers ;) -- DONT USE YOUR HOME #])

Should make it "Easier To Trust" :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:04 AM
TheBionicOrange

Kleinma, what does "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US" mean in your sig :confused:
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:05 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by TheBionicOrange
Kleinma, what does "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US" mean in your sig :confused:

click the link... make sure u got sound though
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:15 AM
JordanChris

I don't click on links just because you told me to..... how do I know its not a virus?? :-)
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:16 AM
kleinma

ummm... because i said so... :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:16 AM
TheBionicOrange

:p
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:18 AM
TheBionicOrange

I don't mean to be picky :rolleyes: , but shouldn't it be :

"ALL YOUR BASES BELONG TO US" ?

p.s. The animation itself was riddled with bad grammar so I wouldn't worry too much about it :D ;)
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:23 AM
WickEd101

How can you guys NOT known about "All Your Base"? It's only the greatest worst Japanese to English translation ever! Have a look around the net man! You'll be sure to find plenty and plenty of sites that cover the history of it.

Secondly, to macai, people won't always trust you, no matter what you say. Just like they won't trust you when you're a total stranger half way across the planet and is asking for fifteen bucks an hour to create a webpage or program. Respect is what it's all about. You need to earn it.
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:27 AM
Megatron

Scan it with a virus scanner
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:30 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by TheBionicOrange
I don't mean to be picky :rolleyes: , but shouldn't it be :

"ALL YOUR BASES BELONG TO US" ?

p.s. The animation itself was riddled with bad grammar so I wouldn't worry too much about it :D ;)

it is supposed to be as it is :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:30 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by Megatron
Scan it with a virus scanner

that was my first suggestion :D

seems to be the only logical one
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:37 AM
swatty

Quote:

Originally posted by kleinma
swatty you stole my joke :mad:

partially, if there is a file shipped with it, where stated if it is a virus then here is my adress and phone number (normally you are known to them when the bought it from you) you can go to court with it.
Claim as much as you can from him so he doesn't write any more of those programs which doesn't work as you wish
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:39 AM
Michael_Kamen

Quote:

Originally posted by kleinma
that was my first suggestion :D

seems to be the only logical one

ANd what about my suggestion:

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael_Kamen
Yeah, post the sourcecode

I think posting the source will earn people's trust.
Oct 16th, 2002, 09:56 AM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael_Kamen
ANd what about my suggestion:

I think posting the source will earn people's trust.

true.. but lets say you post the source code along with the exe... but in the exe you really stuck extra virus code in... then people might review the source.. be like "oh this is ok" and then run the exe..
Oct 16th, 2002, 10:00 AM
Michael_Kamen

True :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 10:33 AM
TheBionicOrange

Oh OK ... it does makes all perfect sense now :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:18 PM
Inquirer

You can put this in the readme.txt

====== myprogram version x.xx ============

For your convenience, the virus is attached separately from the program.
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:29 PM
techgnome

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael_Kamen
Sometimes it acts just like a virus :)

It certanly infected the world serveral times over..... mutates too....

:D
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:33 PM
kleinma

Quote:

Originally posted by techgnome
It certanly infected the world serveral times over..... mutates too....

:D

the latest strand is called "XP" :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:41 PM
Michael_Kamen

Yeah, and it didn't just make my virusscanner go crazy! :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:54 PM
Mc Brain

Quote:

Originally posted by kleinma
true.. but lets say you post the source code along with the exe... but in the exe you really stuck extra virus code in... then people might review the source.. be like "oh this is ok" and then run the exe..

The only way is to post the sourcecode... without the EXE. If they want to compile it (after checking that there's no harmful code in it) they can do it.... with absolute certain that the code is not a virus.
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:57 PM
Sastraxi

Linux programs are, for the most part, open-sourced. You download them, and compile them yourself, so that only you can be blamed if you didn't look over the sourcecode or if you have a virus already that spawns from a GCC call. If they're open sourced, let the users compile them themselves!
Oct 16th, 2002, 03:58 PM
Sastraxi

THAT WASN'T FAIR! HE STOLE MY THOUGHTS AND POSTED THEM JUST A SECOND BEFORE ME!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

:p :D
Oct 16th, 2002, 04:08 PM
Mc Brain

Quote:

Originally posted by Sastraxi
THAT WASN'T FAIR! HE STOLE MY THOUGHTS AND POSTED THEM JUST A SECOND BEFORE ME!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

:p :D

Actually... it seems like there were like it was 3 minutes before ;) :p
Oct 16th, 2002, 06:40 PM
duc

Re: Prove That Your EXE Isnt a Virus

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Is there a way to prove that, say, my EXE is not a virus? Because
alot of people have been iffy about rnuning my apps lately...

make it simple....ASK THE PEOPLE UR TALKING TO IN THIS FORUM TOO! obviously they see your not after malicious code or anything
Oct 16th, 2002, 06:41 PM
Mc Brain

Re: Re: Prove That Your EXE Isnt a Virus

Quote:

Originally posted by duc
make it simple....ASK THE PEOPLE UR TALKING TO IN THIS FORUM TOO! obviously they see your not after malicious code or anything

Sincerely.... I don't get your point.
Oct 16th, 2002, 06:44 PM
duc

Well - "James Stanich" lol

well he should ask the people in these forums. most of us have Norton or Mcafee. by the way i dont recall the username at this moment but to the person who started this thread i will test em for u
Oct 16th, 2002, 06:47 PM
Mc Brain

He wants to be able to prove to any user that his EXE does not have any Virus... that they can trust on his EXE file.
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:17 PM
parksie

Quote:

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Linux programs are, for the most part, open-sourced. You download them, and compile them yourself, so that only you can be blamed if you didn't look over the sourcecode or if you have a virus already that spawns from a GCC call. If they're open sourced, let the users compile them themselves!

Exactly. If you've been given the code it's your own fault if you don't look it over.

But it's also your opportunity to look for anything accidental that could be exploited, and do something good by identifying it, fixing it, and giving it back to the community.
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:33 PM
duc

ahh. well if someone doesnt trust you there aint much you can do, i guess gain their trust first. :)
Oct 16th, 2002, 07:37 PM
parksie

If you want. Or just give the source.

Well, MS doesn't give their source, and so many people find problems with it but have no way to fix them. In fact, there are bugs in the 9x series all the way up to ME that haven't been fixed, dating from the days of DOS 4 or 5. Those bugs could cripple a system, even remotely (yes, I know how to trigger them and it ain't difficult).

Luckily MS is abandoning the old Windows rather than fixing all the holes.
Oct 17th, 2002, 04:13 PM
PhilRob56

Re: Prove That Your EXE Isnt a Virus

Quote:

Originally posted by macai
Is there a way to prove that, say, my EXE is not a virus? Because
alot of people have been iffy about rnuning my apps lately...

Charge them money for it....all decent viruses are distributed for free.......

:D
Oct 17th, 2002, 04:47 PM
wpearsall

LOL.

Well, If you give them your Address & Fone #. they know how to come and kick you in the nuts if it is a virus,

So i think it should solve your prob ;)
Oct 17th, 2002, 04:49 PM
wpearsall

Quote:

Originally posted by Mc Brain
The only way is to post the sourcecode... without the EXE. If they want to compile it (after checking that there's no harmful code in it) they can do it.... with absolute certain that the code is not a virus.

Theres also the fact, people dont always know how to compile it though,
So what about them?

~and theres the people who are a little "Slower" - (Not that their thick or that, jst that they dont know the coding) and dont know CC+ or that, (or cant afford it) that cant compile it, OR under stand it
Oct 17th, 2002, 05:40 PM
duc

well then u have @$$holes for friends :)
Oct 17th, 2002, 05:46 PM
Mc Brain

Quote:

Originally posted by wpearsall
Theres also the fact, people dont always know how to compile it though,
So what about them?

~and theres the people who are a little "Slower" - (Not that their thick or that, jst that they dont know the coding) and dont know CC+ or that, (or cant afford it) that cant compile it, OR under stand it

If they don't know how to compile it, they should not know how to interpret the code either. So, that's their problem... they should trust on your EXE.
Oct 17th, 2002, 06:03 PM
NotLKH

This sounds like the perfect service. If you pay me X dollars, I'd inspect your code, read your documentation, run your exe, do some testing on it, and give you a blurb reccomendation, if I survived. And any questions a user would have, they could e-mail me and ask.

The larger the $X, the better the blurb!
:)
Oct 17th, 2002, 06:58 PM
wpearsall

Yeah,

What the post above said too,

BUT:

I have seen those services (Charge about $3 per hour) [and come on, dont take an hour to check out an exe] to check it over,

then add it to a DB on their site, with all the details, File Size: Version: and that sort of crap, so the user can "Verify It".
Oct 17th, 2002, 07:01 PM
macai

Quote:

Originally posted by NotLKH
This sounds like the perfect service. If you pay me X dollars, I'd inspect your code, read your documentation, run your exe, do some testing on it, and give you a blurb reccomendation, if I survived. And any questions a user would have, they could e-mail me and ask.

The larger the $X, the better the blurb!
:)

lol OK good idea.

But hey guys, thanks for all of htis...just wanted to see if anybody
knew what i meant. ;)

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