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can a DVD damage/infect a computer

  • 07-07-2009 9:29am
    #1
    banjobongo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,371 ✭✭✭


    just out of interest...if you play a DVD that you are not sure of where it came from, can it have any impact on your computer/laptop, I presume not, as you are operating your computer as a DVD player, and are not on the internet?


Comments

  • #2
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Yes it can. DVDs from dodgy sources can contain viruses and malware just the same as any downloaded software. It would be a rare enough thing to do unless the DVD was made from an image downloaded as a torrent.

    It would be extremely rare for a commercially-bought DVD to contain malware, though Sony is well-known for inserting anti-piracy software onto its games discs which most AV programs pick up as trojan horses.


  • #3
    ActorSeeksJob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,970 ✭✭✭ActorSeeksJob


    No it cant actually. A dvd is read-only, so it cant do anything to a machine


  • #4
    Hagar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,793 ✭✭✭✭Hagar


    ActorSeeksJob wrote: »
    No it cant actually. A dvd is read-only, so it cant do anything to a machine
    That is inaccurate. A read only DVD can certainly infect a computer if it contains malware.
    You may be confused by thinking that you cannot infect a read only DVD.


  • #5
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    ActorSeeksJob wrote: »
    No it cant actually. A dvd is read-only, so it cant do anything to a machine
    Web sites are technically "read-only", so how do they infect your machine?

    Your statement is incorrect on so many levels, I don't know where to start.


  • #6
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    ActorSeeksJob wrote: »
    No it cant actually. A dvd is read-only, so it cant do anything to a machine

    Too lazy to find a J.L. Piccard facepalm.

    So it is not possible for a DVD to store a virus executable for example or another dodgy file? Sometime it is better not to post at all.


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