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Computing Security

Mr Niding

Posts 459
08 Oct 2017 20:08


While I realise that AOS/Amiga's security is obscurity, I found this presentation quite intresting;

Joanna Rutkowska: "Qubes OS: towards reasonably secure & trustworthy personal computing"

EXTERNAL LINK 
She goes into the general issues of security risks in the start, and its enough to make a novice like myself realise my computer is completely exposed (I was kinda aware already, but she puts it very blunt and clear).

Makes you think AROS/Opensource is the only way forward on this merit alone.


Vojin Vidanovic

Posts 770
09 Oct 2017 00:58


With obscure CPU arhitecture (be it m68k or PPC64) lack of software is much bigger deal then lack of security.
 
  With no Java, Flash, even fully capable HTML5 browser, and inability to run any x86 code, I just fail to see what can you get. Mail junk?

  YAM has quite nice filters.

  Old Amiga virus can be quite prevented with once in much time Virus Executor or any XVS.library based virus, and last XVS library 33.42 EXTERNAL LINK  It covers pretty much all Amiga viruses ever.
 
  Adding multi user support once in lifetime would be nice for ApolloOS and AROS.
 
  Memory protection of some kind would be nice, and I hope ApolloMMU would help there.


Vojin Vidanovic

Posts 770
02 Nov 2017 20:59


There are other few possible "benefits" of AmigaOS shortcomings:
 
  - Secret files: Files are stored on ancient media (floppy) or partition format only another Amiga(OS-like) or UAE Cant read
  Updated LZX offers both nice compression and not much possibility for others to utilize the archives.
 
  Lot of space for data: OS and apps are tiny, and you can make executables a bit smaller using old school crunchers. 95% free space guaranteed! No swap file!
 
  - Net security: We have so ancient browsers no malicious Internet code works
 
  - Bullet proof OS: Even if some malicious code of viruses would pass, there is always "cant execute non m68k code" barrier :-)


Steve Ferrell

Posts 424
02 Nov 2017 22:18


My most secure computer due to its obscurity is my abacus.  Haven't gotten any viruses so far but I do have to keep it away from termites.


John William

Posts 563
02 Nov 2017 23:00


Steve Ferrell wrote:

My most secure computer due to its obscurity is my abacus.  Haven't gotten any viruses so far but I do have to keep it away from termites.

Well now you have trouble in your hands. Them termites would cause much problem for your security.


Johannes Schäfer

Posts 47
04 Nov 2017 20:16


Yes a nice presentation. My understanding is, that best security tool in the past has been the MMU


Roman S.

Posts 149
04 Nov 2017 20:35


@Vojin Vidanovic - unfortunately, the situation is not that nice. Linux understands the Amiga partition table, can mount FastFileSystem partitions, there is also unlzx software available to decompress archives. Besides... LHA seems to be more widespread, and this format can be unpacked even with popular 7-zip. And floppy gets often replaced with Gotek or similar emulator :)

posts 7