RE: [funsec] write viruses? it's controversy time of the month

[Larry Seltzer]

Yeah, you don't want to start telling revisionist Melissa history on a list that Richard reads. He was there.

Larry Seltzer
eWEEK.com Security Center Editor
http://security.eweek.com/
http://blog.eweek.com/blogs/larry%5Fseltzer/
Contributing Editor, PC Magazine
larryseltzer at ziffdavis.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org [mailto:funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org] On Behalf Of Richard M. Smith
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 6:04 PM
To: funsec at linuxbox.org
Subject: RE: [funsec] write viruses? it's controversy time of the month

Huh?

Court papers: Smith admits to creating Melissa virus http://news.com.com/Court+papers+Smith+admits+to+creating+Melissa+virus/2100
-1023_3-230256.html

Smith admitted to writing the "Melissa" macro virus, illegally accessing America Online for the purpose of posting the virus onto the Internet, and destroying the personal computer he used to post the virus, Bubb stated. 

The AOL account used to spread VicodinES viruses was skyroket at aol.com.
Google Groups still finds some of these virus spreading postings that were done about a year before Melissa:  

http://tinyurl.com/zs3py

Richard 

-----Original Message-----
From: funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org [mailto:funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org] On Behalf Of Blanchard_Michael at emc.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 5:53 PM
To: Valdis.Kletnieks at vt.edu; ge at linuxbox.org
Cc: funsec at linuxbox.org
Subject: RE: [funsec] write viruses? it's controversy time of the month

What about writing a virus, but never intending for it to get out, but it gets out?  Um, Melissa anyone?

I'm not gunna touch it any further though, I have a cell phone to throw!
:-)

Michael P. Blanchard
Antivirus / Security Engineer, CISSP, GCIH, CCSA-NGX, MCSE Office of Information Security & Risk Management EMC ² Corporation 4400 Computer Dr. 
Westboro, MA 01580 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org [mailto:funsec-bounces at linuxbox.org] On Behalf Of Valdis.Kletnieks at vt.edu
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 5:28 PM
To: Gadi Evron
Cc: funsec at linuxbox.org
Subject: Re: [funsec] write viruses? it's controversy time of the month

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 16:13:49 CDT, Gadi Evron said:
> http://www.heise-security.co.uk/articles/77440
> 
> Okay, so, who wants to shout writing viruses is bad, first?

Releasing viruses is bad.

Keeping a stockpile of viruses under conditions that they may escape is bad - and it doesn't matter if you wrote them or collected them.
You may have collected a rare virus that hasn't been seen yet by A/V signature writers - or you may write viruses that intentionally are detected by current scanners.  So the moral injunction is to not release undetectable viruses, no matter what source.

Writing a non-released virus?  That's a black box by definition, and morally neutral.

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_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
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Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.