Combatting the Virus 1

[CajunCenturion]

Another approach to fighting the virus

http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/11/05/HNviruswriters_1.html

Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[Grenage]

Virii creation kits are normally fairly simple creations, churning out code from existing virii to make custom messages.

As sleipnir214 says the really malicious virii are hand made by people who know what they are doing.

 

[MasterRacker]

KornGeek - 10 years in prison is fit punishment. Barney videos is cruel and unusual punishment. After all, Barney is the devil:

http://www.nerdland.net/~portsurfer/mmmbpc/evil.htm

Even at its very mildest, virus writing is vandalism - it causes real damage to others property. This is not well-adjusted societal behavior.

Here's a couple of interviews with Adrian Lamo, the so-called hero of hackers everywhere:

http://www.newarchitectmag.com/documents/s=2415/na1202r/

http://news.com.com/2008-1014_3-5076942.html

It would be tough to argue that moron is an upstanding member of society. His response to why he does it is "I do what I do". Sounds a lot like what the Green River Killer said.


Jeff
If your mind is too open your brains will fall out...

 

[dilettante]

When I first read about these bounties on virus writers it made me feel a little uneasy myself. But the threat is real, the costs are high, and so far nothing else has worked very well on its own.

Since the actions covered by the bounties are already illegal, it in no way criminalizes anything that isn't already criminal. So far I haven't seen any compelling arguments against this action on Microsoft's part. Somehow I don't think $5M is going to make a large dent in Microsoft's budget to close holes in their software either.