Viruses

[Nadin]

I've seen some talk about viruses on nexus recently. I'm just wondering, how could there be viruses? The majority of the files are .esp, .esm, .nif, or .dds. NONE of those are capable of offloading viruses onto your computer. They only effect the gamebryo engine, and are activated/deactivated at the user's will. If you are still paranoid, you can open them in Fo3edit, nifskope, or paint.net, respectively, allowing you to check them beforehand.

So, just out of curiosity, how could there be a virus?

[ScourgeBlack]

The Viruses have been in some mods with a .exe installer :mellow:

[Nadin]

Yes, but why are people worried about downloading non .exe files?

[Fonger]

Yes, but why are people worried about downloading non .exe files?

actually

 

because it gives them something to be afraid of.

[Nadin]

Ah. I see now.

 

Moderator can close or leave open, doesn't matter.

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Back in the day it would have been true that non-executable files are not something to worry about. Today... you can never be sure. Even if a file is not itself executable, perhaps it is crafted in such a way as to cause something like a buffer overflow, compromising your system in other ways.

That said I don't even run antivirus on my system so I am not worried about mods on the Nexus whatsoever.

[Rabbit1251]

There have also been some uploaded in the form of .bat files. I steer clear of either of those and do an additional scan of all files that I download from the Nexus. I once downloaded a Russian Oblivion mod which didn't work so I deleted it. That night I was hit by a Russian malware Trojan that took three weeks and a reinstall of my operating system to cure. Once bitten, twice shy as my Old Gaffer used to say.

 

 

Rabbit

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Batch files I would worry about least of all, as I can just open it up and see exactly what it's doing.

[Nadin]

That's true. No matter what the filetype, you can usually examine it before activation.

[ecksile]

You need to be careful of adds...Period. I had an add that downloaded its add pictures without my permission (it was just a temp file that never gets deleted) into my internet temp folder and even though it was a jpg file it contained conficker b within the file, so every time i removed conficker the jpg files would just reinstall it so it was a nice big loop xD. Add Block, No Script and Zone Alarm now =].