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Xbox 360 Virus possible?
- Thread starter det2004
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Good question. Probably. The day we start getting viruses on consoles is the day I play retro only
I don't mind viruses on my PC, they keep me on my toes and on the straight and narrow
But I agree if consoles get them I'll stock just buy some more batteries for my GameBoy
If you are wondering because you are worried that is what you have done lately, then the answer is NO - plain and simple.
If your question is rhetoric and theoretical, then the answer is always a 'possible' and this applies to 'all' the consoles and not just the 360.
There are no virus's for any of the consoles at the moment and the chances of it happening are exceedingly slim if it ever did happen on any of the consoles.
What are the chances of a virus spreading across your home network if you are playing wmv files on the 360 that may or may not be infected? I mean the files may or may not be infected, not the machine. Is this even possible?
Well any infected file shared on a network can cause possible.
The point we all would like to know is WHY are you playing infected media files in the first place, and if you suspect that the file is fecked in this regard - then get rid of it, and invest in some virus protection for your PC and stop playing infected media.
If it's all just a big what if, then just make sure you have virus protection which is up to date on any of the computers on your network.
Oh and avoid infected media files altogether might save you a lot of trouble looking for answers in the future.
The point we all would like to know is WHY are you playing infected media files in the first place, and if you suspect that the file is fecked in this regard - then get rid of it, and invest in some virus protection for your PC and stop playing infected media.
If it's all just a big what if, then just make sure you have virus protection which is up to date on any of the computers on your network.
Oh and avoid infected media files altogether might save you a lot of trouble looking for answers in the future.
I don't think that the media files were really infected. I was just asking more in a theoretical way, if by chance by av program didn't detect something and I ended up playing the file on the 360. I tried scanning them before I put them on the flash drive and the scan came up empty.
The reason I ask is they've been clamoring over that new Windows worm that has been spreading around. It's been said that it even disables the auto updates on your av programs to help avoid detection.
I'm just curious though...is it at all possible for a virus to be carried by legit, playable wmv files?
There's always a possibility since we already have images that can spread virus in windows. but for consoles, the best they could wreck havoc is to destroy your save games, unless you are doing internet banking on your console I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Viruses have to target an OS - you can't just code a worm and expect it to spread across anything
Theoretically, yes any console (and anything with software for that matter) can be affected by a virus. So yes, it can happen.
But will it? The answer is, no, since a virus targetting Windows isn't going to suddenly be able to attack a 360, PS3 or anything else for that matter. There's the entire issue of the kernel, application layers, etc. that differ too much to be affected.
Theoretically, yes any console (and anything with software for that matter) can be affected by a virus. So yes, it can happen.
But will it? The answer is, no, since a virus targetting Windows isn't going to suddenly be able to attack a 360, PS3 or anything else for that matter. There's the entire issue of the kernel, application layers, etc. that differ too much to be affected.
In general, there are two elements to this -
- The infected file needs to get onto your console.
- The virus needs to be run.
The more drives & networks you connect to your console, the greater the likelihood of a virus getting on it.
But the virus also needs to be executed. So it either needs to be embedded in an executable (game), or - and this is less likely - it could be in a media file and exploit loose coding to crash the media player and corrupt the stack.
However, an attack via a media file relies on a vulnerability in the media player.
- The infected file needs to get onto your console.
- The virus needs to be run.
The more drives & networks you connect to your console, the greater the likelihood of a virus getting on it.
But the virus also needs to be executed. So it either needs to be embedded in an executable (game), or - and this is less likely - it could be in a media file and exploit loose coding to crash the media player and corrupt the stack.
However, an attack via a media file relies on a vulnerability in the media player.