Kaspersky Lab, a well-known antivirus company, has received a sample of the new virus that infects both Microsoft Windows and Linux systems. The parasite is actually the proof-of-concept code – it does not carry any dangerous payload. However, its discovery can mean that hackers are becoming interested in creating cross-platform threats that would affect all the users not depending on the operating system they use.
Virus.Linux.Bi.a/Virus.Win32.Bi.a, that’s how the new virus is called, is relatively simple. Once executed, it infects all the files in the current directory. That’s all. However, it must be noted that the files can be of both Linux ELF and Windows PE formats, which are completely different.
According to Kaspersky Lab, the virus has no practical application. However, the virus experts say that Virus.Linux.Bi.a/Virus.Win32.Bi.a can be used by hackers to create new, much more harmful cross-platform parasites. “Once proof of concept code is released, virus writers are usually quick to take the code, and adapt it for their own use.”
