Date   : Wed, 25 Nov 1987 02:02:35 GMT
From   : umn-d-ub!umn-cs!ems!rosevax!kksys!bird@speedy.wisc.edu (0000-Mike Bird)
Subject: Re: Posting of Binaries

I remember a discussion on this net in one of the unix newsgroups
where binaries were allowed to be posted about the possibilities of
malicious programmers putting in nasty surprises in a binary.  Some of
these binaries would work for a long time, performing useful
functions, but when some internal use counter reached some "magic"
number, BOOM, the program would turn ugly and start erasing all files
in all directories, or some such nasty thing.

I have also seen almost identical postings in various BB systems
around the country.

I, personally, wouldn't trust a binary unless handed to me by someone
I would trust with my login password.  I'd also have to know that the
person in question wrote the program whose binary I was running.

Let's hear it for source code!
-- 
===============================================================================
Mike Bird (No, I don't work for K&K systems)   Mail paths:  bird@kksys.UUCP
-or-
Give me credit for coming up with my own opinions.  ...rutgers!meccts!kksys!bird
Void where prohibited by law.