Viruses in DB files

Has anyone have ever heard of viruses infecting .dat, .tps and .mem files
over a network? I have never seen it but I have a technician who filters
everything with A/V software and he is reluctant to turn the scanning of
these files off. He just needs some convincing. Any help appreciated.
Nev

On 19 May, 02:38, "Neville Wright" <ams...@westnet.com.au> wrote:
> Has anyone have ever heard of viruses infecting .dat, .tps and .mem files
> over a network? I have never seen it but I have a technician who filters
> everything with A/V software and he is reluctant to turn the scanning of
> these files off. He just needs some convincing. Any help appreciated.

Those are data files, not code. If a virus tried to infect them, all
it would do is corrupt the data. Viruses need to be in executable
files.

Simon Kempster

Hi Simon
That is exactly what I have told him but he is adamant. More words from
other developers would help not only this one case for me but for others who
might run up against the same situation.
Regards
Nev


<simon.kempster@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:4644a450-a5de-4152-a0b4-72af7209c7c3@b64g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On 19 May, 02:38, "Neville Wright" <ams...@westnet.com.au> wrote:
>> Has anyone have ever heard of viruses infecting .dat, .tps and .mem files
>> over a network? I have never seen it but I have a technician who filters
>> everything with A/V software and he is reluctant to turn the scanning of
>> these files off. He just needs some convincing. Any help appreciated.
>
> Those are data files, not code. If a virus tried to infect them, all
> it would do is corrupt the data. Viruses need to be in executable
> files.
>
> Simon Kempster

Hi.

There is really no way for the DB files to be infected. The only thing
scanning every file moving over a network does, is to make the network
traffic slower and waste server cpu time. The only DB files that thus
far have been infected with a virus are the Access .mdb file. But only
because the mdb files contain macros that can be EXECUTED, thus making
it possible to be infected. tps and dat files dont contain executable
macros and therefore wont be infected with a virus.

And even if a virus adds it code to the db, the code wont be executed
when the file opens. You most likely get a possible data corruption
message cause the data will be corrupted.

Thank you Marius.
Nev
"Neville Wright" <amsnet@westnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:Rf2dnYUcyc0H0KzVnZ2dnUVZ_vjinZ2d@westnet.com. au...
> Hi Simon
> That is exactly what I have told him but he is adamant. More words from
> other developers would help not only this one case for me but for others
> who might run up against the same situation.
> Regards
> Nev
>
>
> <simon.kempster@talk21.com> wrote in message
> news:4644a450-a5de-4152-a0b4-72af7209c7c3@b64g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>> On 19 May, 02:38, "Neville Wright" <ams...@westnet.com.au> wrote:
>>> Has anyone have ever heard of viruses infecting .dat, .tps and .mem
>>> files
>>> over a network? I have never seen it but I have a technician who filters
>>> everything with A/V software and he is reluctant to turn the scanning of
>>> these files off. He just needs some convincing. Any help appreciated.
>>
>> Those are data files, not code. If a virus tried to infect them, all
>> it would do is corrupt the data. Viruses need to be in executable
>> files.
>>
>> Simon Kempster
>
>