As I write this, yet another e-mail worm is spreading among non-Linux computers and incidentally filling my mailbox with "YOU HAVE A VIRUS" bounces from dumb software that somehow doesn't yet get the concept that worms forge mail. There's nothing like a worm attack that spares Linux to bring out the smug superiority in Linux users.
Cut it out. The attack path here is one step long. All that's keeping us safe is that most programs for Linux don't make it easy to run attachments from incoming mail. But combine the right vulnerability in a common desktop app with a little social engineering, and you've got a Linux worm.
Last year, the not-so-dramatically-named CAN-2003-0434 vulnerability allowed humble PDF files to run arbitrary commands as you. Linux users and distributions dealt with it quickly enough that it didn't turn into a vector for spreading a worm. With today's larger Linux user base and more desktop standardization, the next vulnerability will be a bigger risk.
The link for this article located at Linux Journal is no longer available.
