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>yes, it'll probably work. Viruses are Windows applications like any other.

The difference here is documented/support APIs vs other code paths.

This is true so long as the 'application' is using the normal APIs, as soon as an application depends on out-of-contract 'implementation details', which the bugs that are utilized by worms definitely are..., all bets are off.

In short ReactOS is more and more likely to implement the API needed by an app, but that doesn't mean it implements the out-of-API defects that malware depends on. Like anyway software, it probably as its own defects.




> the bugs that are utilized by worms

Which is why I said an email attachment. The average virus relying on user interaction doesn't need bugs.


It doesn't need a code execution bug, but it usually needs some sort of privilege escalation bug.


Simple viruses will just email themselves to all your contacts and steal your banking password, no special privileges are required for that.


But that bug doesn't have to be in Windows. If you can get privilege escalation in a Windows app that the user trusts (hello, Office), then you're in. ReactOS is based on Windows circa XP and doesn't implement UAC, so that vulnerability is wide open.




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