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Post subject: Is the Mustang amp virus prone?
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:05 pm
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Just wondering if the Mustang amps' firmware or presets are a possible concern with viruses or malware. I am computer savvy and I realize this is an open ended question. An anti-virus scanning will of course be prudent and desired, but how are the Fuse community presets and bandtracks handled? Are they prescreened by Fender or . . .?

Also, has anyone ever found this to be a probem? If so, how was it handled?

Would a reset on the amp(s) correct such an attack?

TIA

One happy Mustang IV owner.


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Post subject: Re: Is the Mustang amp virus prone?
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:21 am
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The presets are just data files, so couldn't be used to transport a virus as such. All that a virus, external to the preset, could do is corrupt the data. In that case the worst you'd get is silence or not the sound you were expecting.

The FUSE firmware could have a virus inserted in it - but as long as you only download the official version from the Fender website, that's unlikely to happen (unless someone compromises the Fender website, always a possibility). Such a virus wouldn't harm the PC being used for the firmware update, but could potentially render an amp unusable. I don't know whether it could be made so unusable that a factory reset wouldn't work. But I think it unlikely someone would bother to create such a virus (see below).

FUSE itself, being a normal PC application, is of course open to virus attacks. Usual rules apply here: only download from official Fender download location, do a virus scan on the installer program before running it to install FUSE, and do regular virus scans of your computer thereafter.

The latter case above, FUSE itself, is vulnerable to any generic virus attack. The firmware and presets are only vulnerable to a virus specifically targetted at them. Given the (comparatively) small number of Mustang amps vs Windows PCs, I don't think the typical virus creator (aka "scum of the earth") would care or be interested in targetting Mustang firmware or presets. They're more interested in larger-scale stuff which has some gain for them.

Just an opinion...


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Post subject: Re: Is the Mustang amp virus prone?
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:05 am
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Thanks for your take on Mustangs' virus relationship, Scott. I'm sure others will also be able to use this info.

This is good information that I am sure will relate to other modelling amps as well.


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