Lua virus

What is it?
An LUA Virus is a script that copies its self while a place is being run, and then does whatever its creator wants it to, usually in the form of a Message at the bottom of the screen.

Can one break my place?
Possibly, yes. Some viruses will rename objects, breaking legitimate scripts.

Why can't I see the lua virus in the explorer?
LUA Virus coders put their scripts inside of unsupported objects, for example, the Timer. Unsupported objects do not show up in Roblox Studio's Explorer, thus making them nearly invisible.

Can I disinfect my place?
Yes, but save a copy before continuing.

You must have a basic understanding of the XML language (it's what ROBLOX saves its places as, and it's not very difficult to get the hang of). Then open your place file with a simple text editor like Wordpad or Notepad. (Preferable Notepad++ if you have it.) Do a search (Ctrl+F) for a word mentioned in the virus. Normally the first result will be the actual code of the script. Find the opening object tag for the script, and delete it down to the closing tag, making sure you leave nothing unclosed. Do that for as many viruses as you have, save, then open that file with Roblox Studio. All done!

How can I prevent my place from getting infected?
Simple, don't save your place while it's running, and don't use Solo mode at all to save your place. Only use Roblox Studio, and use the reset button once you are done testing. You are free to use Solo Mode within Roblox Studio, just don't save the Solo Mode window when you are done testing. Only save and upload the actual place file.

I know a programming language (VB.Net, C#, C++, etc.) Is it possible to make a virus scanner for roblox?
Absolutely. All you would need is an understanding of your favorite programming language and how it interfaces with XML, and you could become the next most popular person on ROBLOX!