As if viruses did not infect "documents". I wonder if you are even familiar with the concept of "macro" virus? And, how about exploits to the image rendering system abused from pictures? I also have bad news to you about music, its tagging system, and exploiting the bundled players...
Wow.
This post is just to reach your quota for your sig payment it seems ?
We are not talking about exploits here. This is not about what can be exploited.
This was about how he can move to a new system backing up his files.
What does an exploit in any rendering software to do with that ?
Also, do you really believe a malware will 'infect' all .doc files with a "macro virus" ?? Do you really believe that ?
You do know that they have to be explicitly allowed to be executed by the user ?
What can or can not be exploited was never the topic here.
If you are not familiar with the 5/7 stages of a malware attack, that's fine. But please don't write such a nonsense. Or at least don't quote/mention me while doing it.
P.s. The term you were looking for is
malware, not
virus. A virus is just a small subcategory of malware. Google it.
I quote you because you are mistaken. You said he wouldn't copy the virus by copying "documents, pictures and music", and that is a lie, and yes i am correcting you.
I don't get why you even mention something about the signature campaign, which you clearly also participate in...
And no, the term when it was coined, and i think still is, was clearly macro
virus, not macro
malware.
So let me repeat it so you get it, and prepare to be corrected every single time i spot you telling a lie: YES HE MAY COPY THE VIRUS WHEN DOING THE BACKUP, or
malware if you like the newer fashion, which may also include the spyware crap.
Can the virus infect ALL doc files? OF COURSE. This is not a matter of beliefs, it simply depends which one infects the system and is running. Do i have to mention the ransomware crap too? but again, you are the one familiar with the term
malware...
THE BACKUP CAN COPY THE MALWARE. If he does it from a secure os, such as Linux running live from a dvd, the copying won't execute it, that is, until he opens a freshly installed windows, open the file and executes it (ie. the macro virus).
If he was smart, and instead used Linux as the new OS, then very likely the virus won't execute, if only because Libreoffice would probably ignore it (hoping he didn't just run MSOffice from wine)..
OF COURSE he could also try using clamav while running the live Linux to the backup data, before moving forward.
And no, i don't need you to explain me the "5/7" stages of malware infection, good for you knowing it, go ahead and explain it to them...