Re: Calculator virii
[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: Calculator virii
On Mon, 9 Sep 1996, Mark R. Lindsey wrote:
> : Daddy E <daddy14@intrstar.net> wrote:
> : > Is a calculator virus at all possible?
>
> : The most damage a virus could do is erase your programs, whic shouldn't be
> : a life and death thing. I have made several programs which lock up the
> : calc, and make it so you have to take out the batteries, but, that's all
> : the damage possible.
>
> Well, you're correct: because the whole os is cut in rom, replacing the
> batteries will solve all ills. A really insidious virus would mess up
> some normal function of the calculator, like exponentiation. For
> example, every fifth time you use an exponent, it outputs an incorrect
> answer.
>
> Or a virus might change the order of precedence for operators, so that
> 4+7^3 becomes 1331. Or it might corrupt data transfers so you can no
> longer take a backup, so your data and programs would be guaranteed
> lost.
>
> I wonder that there aren't already some of these out there. :^)
>
The virii would have an awfully difficult time spreading, IMHO.
Michael Castleman, mlc@sri.webmate.com | "Only two things are infinite:
http://sri.webmate.com/members/mlc/home.html | the universe and human stupidity
Link of the week: Linux (a free UNIX-like OS | -- and I'm not sure about the
for PCs & others): www.ssc.com/linux/ | former." -Albert Einstein
References: