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- From: celustka@sun.felk.cvut.cs (Celustkova-k336-doktorand(Richta))
- Newsgroups: comp.virus
- Subject: Good and bad viruses (was FC on virus creation)
- Message-ID: <0016.9301051858.AA13030@barnabas.cert.org>
- Date: 22 Dec 92 22:04:48 GMT
- Sender: virus-l@lehigh.edu
- Lines: 42
- Approved: news@netnews.cc.lehigh.edu
-
- With properly defined computer virus there shoudln't be doubts what is
- a good and what is a bad virus. Or should be ? Let's suppose that bad
- virus is intended to cause some unwanted function in system. Some
- programs (even antiviral) can do the same thing, (what is unwanted
- function anyway ?) but they cannot propagate. Good virus can
- propagate, but it is supposed to not invoke anything unwanted. But, by
- definition good virus can mutate, so can become bad virus. Also, good
- virus on one system can be bad virus on another system (causing some
- unwanted function). Could all bad viruses be good viruses ? Yes,
- because without them many A-V producers would loose their source of
- money. Can all good viruses be bad viruses ? Yes, because they are
- viruses (something very suspicious). Confusing ? Not to anyone who
- ever met chinese philosophy and principles of Yin and Yang. Shortly,
- good and bad are inseparable and dependent one of the another (you
- can't define good without defining bad and vice versa).
-
- So, what to do ? Let's throw (unnecessary) philosophy and look at
- (poor) simple PC user. S/he finds something weird on her/his PC and
- suspects it could be a virus (whatever could be called by that name).
- S/he chooses some A-V product and tries to solve the problem. If the
- product solves problem and everything is like before user is
- satisfied. And that should be the main goal of every A-V producer. If
- Fred Cohen's customers are satisfied with his product why all that
- complaining about ethical correctness. Ask them if they have any
- ethical problem using that product. If they are not satisfied that is
- Fred Cohen's problem and he has to solve it. Simple, isn't it ?
-
- Cheeers, __________________________
- | |
- Suzana /| I'm a good virus! |\ |\__/|
- /~~~~~~\ / | He's a bad virus! | \ / \
- ~\( * * )/~ |__________________________| ~\( 0 0 )/~
- ( \___/ ) ( /---\ )
- \______/ \______/
- @/ \@ @/ \@
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Address: Suzana Stojakovic-Celustka e-mail addresses:
- Department of Computers celustka@sun.felk.cvut.cs
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering celustkova@cs.felk.cvut.cs
- Karlovo namesti 13
- 12135 Prague 2 phone : (+42 2) 293485
- Czechoslovakia fax : (+42 2) 290159
-