[ RadSafe ] nukes & viruses

[Cary Renquist]

I'll drift a bit OT... 
If you would like to take a bit of Duane's advice and try an
alternative, here is a link to a Engineering-focused Linux distribution
that can be booted off of a DVD (a pen-drive as well) -- the official
name of the distribution is Computer-Aided Engineering in Linux.

It is a big download, ~4 GB (because it is crammed with many of the
major engineering/science/stats/math apps out there)
The focus is on scientific computing and mathematical modeling with
emphasis on finite element simulation and computational fluid dynamics
Just insert the CAELinux LiveDVD in your computer to turn it into a
professional CAE workstation: no installation is required!

Linux Journal has a brief overview of it here:
Computer-Aided Engineering in Linux
http://j.mp/o85LPo

CAElinux 
http://j.mp/pHv3Fv

If you want a very secure one to try, the Air Force just released a
distro called "Lightweight Portable Security" that is designed to boot
off of a pen-drive -- gives you basic Office-type programs and presents
a Win XP like interface (in a very secure environment).

If you want to "keep it in the <rad-related> family", Fermilab has their
Scientific Linux distribution (it doesn't have lots-o-science-programs,
that is just the name they selected many years ago).

Happy Computing,
Cary

---
Cary Renquist
cary.renquist at ezag.com


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Duane Straub
Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2011 12:08
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] nukes & viruses

For several years I maintained Army, then Navy tactical nukes, never saw
evidence of alien tampering. 

If you haven't come to realize, the Microsoft "mono-culture," the fact
that ~90% of computer run Windows operating system, poses one of thee,
if not THEE, most significant threat to our (and other nations')
national and economic security. Although I spent several years in
computer security at a US National lab and was privy to classified
intelligence briefings on that subject, I'm only the messenger here, I
did not originate that premise. Believe it. If you are not part of the
solution, you are part of the problem. Use Windows only when there is no
alternative, for instance a unique software application you NEED that
only runs on Windows. Over 60,000 new pieces of malware are released
against Windows **DAILY**!  Host-based anti-malware is useless against
that onslaught. What are the odds that YOUR machine is NOT infected.
Pretty darn low. 

Duane

> 
> Mike, and now we have an issue, Virus infects U.S. military drones.
Guess
> this has been going on for about 2 weeks and every time the wipe the
virus
> off the systems, it reappears. Interesting if the US Military can't
keep a
> virus from their systems, can you imagine the damage that can be done
to
> the world's economy if larger targets are affected!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Sandy
> 
> -----------------------------------
> Sander C. Perle
> President
> Mirion Technologies
> Dosimetry Services Division
> 2652 McGaw Avenue
> Irvine, CA 92614
> 
> +1 (949) 296-2306 (Office)
> +1 (949) 296-1130 (Fax)
> 
> Mirion Technologies: http://www.mirion.com/
> 
>