OSXMP3 threat 2004

[Rowf]

I was reading through some archives on mac security and came across an article detailing a trojan hidden in an mp3 file that surfaced 2004 and could affect mac operating systems.

This got me wondering about the way such threats can be packaged across all platforms and then dragged this question from somewhere out of my paranoid subconscious:

If an mp3 contained any kind of malware (trojan/virus, thinking cross platform here) and it could play music what would happen if it was burned as an audio cd and then ripped back to mp3 file?
Would the malware remain intact and just take up residence in the newly ripped file or would it be destroyed?
What if it were to be burned as an audio cd then ripped back into a different file format, flac, aac etc.
Would the malware survive that?
Converted from mp3 to a different file format, how about that?
In fact, would it be possible to create an audio cd from an infected file without the burning software crashing before it was done?

Any ideas, theories or experiences?

This isn't a specific mac question, more of a general cross platform just kind of wonderin' if anyone else has thought of it question.

I haven't got an infected mp3 file to try else I'd give it a go on my old windows pc to see what happens.

 

[r1ch4rd]

Converting to a different format should render it inoperable as would burning to a CD and ripping it again.

I expect the vulnerability is only present in the mp3 format and converting also chops and changes the file structure. To see that in action, try converting a file from mp3 to flac and then back again. Then use the Unix diff command to see if you get the same file!

 

[Rowf]

Umm, what's the Unix diff command?

 

[r1ch4rd]

Take your two mp3s (the one you started with and the final version) and put them in the same directory. Then, through the terminal..

cd /Users/r1ch4rd/Documents/mp3experiment
diff mp3one.mp3 mp3two.mp3

This will tell you if the two files are identical (in plain English). Just swap the folder name in the first line and the file names in the second for the ones that you are using.

 

[Rowf]

Great, I'm gonna have a go at this.

Ask one question and disappear in a flurry of excitement when it's answered

Thanks for that.