I've always wondered this:

If i have an mp3 and convert it on my computer to a WAV file, will any viruses disappear from the WAV file once burned onto a music CD?

In other words, say my computer has a virus i don't know about. I have an infected mp3, convert it to a WAV, burn it on a CD, is the virus then gone?

If i was to dump the WAV onto the hard drive of another computer, would any viruses accompany the WAV file?

mp3 and wav files cannot be infected.

I'm curious, why is this the case?

Our IT guy at work, i work in the music business, insists if i bring a WAV file in on a CD off of an infected computer, there is a chance the WAV file will infect our computer systems?

I'm curious, why is this the case?

Because they contain no executable code.

Our IT guy at work, i work in the music business, insists if i bring a WAV file in on a CD off of an infected computer, there is a chance the WAV file will infect our computer systems?

Either he really has no clue what he's talking about (wav files cannot be infected, nor can mp3 files, avi files, text files and so on), or perhaps he meant that the CD you bring in could also have a virus written on it along with the wav file (still highly unlikely)

If all i ever put on the burned CD is WAV music files, nothing else, what are the chances of it having a virus, Zero?

If all i ever put on the burned CD is WAV music files, nothing else, what are the chances of it having a virus, Zero?

Zero.

Either he really has no clue what he's talking about (wav files cannot be infected, nor can mp3 files, avi files, text files and so on), or perhaps he meant that the CD you bring in could also have a virus written on it along with the wav file (still highly unlikely)

This is probably a policy put in place after there were commercial CDs manufactured that loaded software (namely root-kits) onto the machine. As I understand, many IT department leads banned the use of audio CDs in their enterprises since it was shown to represent a security risk. Chances are, this IT guy doesn't completely understand why the policy was originally put into place.

Edited August 26, 200916 yr by Glenn9999

If all i ever put on the burned CD is WAV music files, nothing else, what are the chances of it having a virus, Zero?

Like CoffeeFiend said:

...or perhaps he meant that the CD you bring in could also have a virus written on it along with the wav file (still highly unlikely)

Depending on your company's IT policies, they probably just don't want you bringing in anything that's not work related (but then again, music, in this case, is).

I'm curious, why is this the case?

Our IT guy at work, i work in the music business, insists if i bring a WAV file in on a CD off of an infected computer, there is a chance the WAV file will infect our computer systems?

At most a virus may be able to hide in a file but it won't do any harm unless it's infected an EXE.

The WAV file itself won't infect computer systems, but bringing external media into a network is always a potential risk. Your IT guy is either a moron or more likely just using a cover story as a nicer way of saying 'Im in charge here, do the hell as I say'.

I'm an IT tech and we always have to make up wee white lies to customers because a) they don't understand jargon and B) it's easier to bend the truth a little than to be blunt.

I'm an IT tech and we always have to make up wee white lies to customers because a) they don't understand jargon and B) it's easier to bend the truth a little than to be blunt.

Or ease of implementation of the policy. It's easier to say "all audio CDs" than to find out the problem ones that load software and specifically traffic/police those. Especially since most end users won't bother or care.

I tend to go for a 'This is what you're getting and you're sticking with it' kind of thing. I am deploying Kaspersky at my work and I choose to totally hide the program's existance from its users. The ironic thing is, those who know it is there seem to find ways to complain that their 'computer is slow'..

I'm curious, why is this the case?

Our IT guy at work, i work in the music business, insists if i bring a WAV file in on a CD off of an infected computer, there is a chance the WAV file will infect our computer systems?

I have worked in the music business myself. What your co-worker said may not make sense, but there are other reasons to not used burned CDs. In my time (3 years) of being in the music biz, I learned that I can only use pressed CDs or prove ownership of originals of backups. This is because NASCAP randomly "trolls" companies that make or play music. Its a best practice that should be followed, if only to CYA.

Id say its prolly some combination of these 3 things:

1. Your IT dept thinks its users are stupid and cant tell the difference between song.wav and song.wav.exe
   
2. Your IT dept is stupid and thinks everything that cant be explained by them "must be a virus"
   
3. Your IT dept thinks you dont "respect their authoritay" and so they are punishing you with stupid rules.
   

Id say its prolly some combination of these 3 things:

1. Your IT dept thinks its users are stupid and cant tell the difference between song.wav and song.wav.exe
   
2. Your IT dept is stupid and thinks everything that cant be explained by them "must be a virus"
   
3. Your IT dept thinks you dont "respect their authoritay" and so they are punishing you with stupid rules.
   

well to comment on your first point, keep in mind that by default windows does not show extensions so most users truly won't know

i do think they said this just to keep things simple, they don't want to bother explaining things.

haha... if I'm not mistaken

post #2 is right answer.clearly

Edited September 18, 200916 yr by yexuan63356