“It’s been mathematically proven [anti-virus can't stop viruses]”
What analysis was Bruce Schneier referencing when he wrote:
Viruses have no “cure.” It’s been mathematically proven that it is always possible to write a virus that any existing antivirus program can’t stop." [0]
[0] Secrets & Lies. Bruce Schneier. Page 154
virus antivirus
edited 23 mins ago
forest
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What analysis was Bruce Schneier referencing when he wrote:
Viruses have no “cure.” It’s been mathematically proven that it is always possible to write a virus that any existing antivirus program can’t stop." [0]
[0] Secrets & Lies. Bruce Schneier. Page 154
virus antivirus
edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
111
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Cate is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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What analysis was Bruce Schneier referencing when he wrote:
Viruses have no “cure.” It’s been mathematically proven that it is always possible to write a virus that any existing antivirus program can’t stop." [0]
[0] Secrets & Lies. Bruce Schneier. Page 154
virus antivirus
edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
111
New contributor
Cate is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What analysis was Bruce Schneier referencing when he wrote:
Viruses have no “cure.” It’s been mathematically proven that it is always possible to write a virus that any existing antivirus program can’t stop." [0]
[0] Secrets & Lies. Bruce Schneier. Page 154
virus antivirus
virus antivirus
edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
111
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edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
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edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
edited 23 mins ago
forest
34.4k16113118
34.4k16113118
asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
111
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asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
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asked 2 hours ago
CateCate
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1 Answer
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Under one possible interpretation of that, it's a result of Rice's theorem. A program is malicious if it performs some malicious action, which makes it a semantic property. Some programs are malicious and some aren't, which makes it a non-trivial property. Thus, by Rice's theorem, it's undecidable in the general case whether a program is malicious.
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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votes
Under one possible interpretation of that, it's a result of Rice's theorem. A program is malicious if it performs some malicious action, which makes it a semantic property. Some programs are malicious and some aren't, which makes it a non-trivial property. Thus, by Rice's theorem, it's undecidable in the general case whether a program is malicious.
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
add a comment |
Under one possible interpretation of that, it's a result of Rice's theorem. A program is malicious if it performs some malicious action, which makes it a semantic property. Some programs are malicious and some aren't, which makes it a non-trivial property. Thus, by Rice's theorem, it's undecidable in the general case whether a program is malicious.
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
add a comment |
Under one possible interpretation of that, it's a result of Rice's theorem. A program is malicious if it performs some malicious action, which makes it a semantic property. Some programs are malicious and some aren't, which makes it a non-trivial property. Thus, by Rice's theorem, it's undecidable in the general case whether a program is malicious.
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
Under one possible interpretation of that, it's a result of Rice's theorem. A program is malicious if it performs some malicious action, which makes it a semantic property. Some programs are malicious and some aren't, which makes it a non-trivial property. Thus, by Rice's theorem, it's undecidable in the general case whether a program is malicious.
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
answered 1 hour ago
Joseph SibleJoseph Sible
1,230314
1,230314
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
add a comment |
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
Ah I think this is indeed what Schneier was referencing. This answer is better than mine.
– forest
1 hour ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
I'm not a mathematician, but I might guess that Godel's incompleteness theorems might also apply.
– Steve Sether
3 mins ago
add a comment |
Cate is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cate is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cate is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cate is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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