Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 19:52:42 +0500
Message-Id: <200003151452.TAA00903@midpec.com>
From: Prashant TR <tr AT midpec DOT com>
To: "nimrod a. abing" <synflood AT eudoramail DOT com>
CC: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <INEPKJNPJEEIBAAA@shared1-mail.whowhere.com>
	(synflood AT eudoramail DOT com)
Subject: Re: self-mod code and DJGPP - writable code segment?
References:  <INEPKJNPJEEIBAAA AT shared1-mail DOT whowhere DOT com>
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"nimrod a. abing" <synflood AT eudoramail DOT com> writes:

> I was just curious about this. If the code 
> segment is not writable, it seems to imply some 
> sort of immunity to viruses for DJGPP programs.

How does writability affect viruses? Since DJGPP
programs use the same DOS routines that are hooked
by the viruses, there is no immunity as such. Read
on...

> And I also read from somewhere in the FAQ that
> DJGPP programs have the ability to detect if
> their COFF image becomes corrupted.

Yes. The COFF headers get destroyed if any virus
tries to overwrite the startup code. That's because
the DJGPP startup code is so small and very well
written!

> With so many viruses spreading around, does 
> this mean that DJGPP programs are safer from 
> viruses?

No. Doesn't really imply that way.