[OT] interet worm W32/Blaster

[Psionicist]

when I'm done I give them to the virus scanner people so they can put their signatures into their dat files. This way when someone else does come up with the same idea we'll already be protected. So not only is it a fun little thing for me it's a public service as well.

No you are not. It doesn't work that way. No one will write the exact same code you did. Heck, if you compiled it in a different compiler the signature would be different. Most AV software people just generates a checksum of the files and check it with their database, or checks some bytes of the code with known bytes.

Frankly, I don't care if you don't release your binaries, I think what you do is moronic. Write useful programs instead.

 

[Tsyr]

Frankly, I don't care if you don't release your binaries, I think what you do is moronic. Write useful programs instead.

As someone who does the exact same thing (Well, I don't give them to the AV people), why? I can't think of any useful software I care to write, and virii are fun to make.

Is writing a short story instead of an essay on world trade economics 'moronic'? It's the same thing... Using a talent to do something small and fun as opposed to something potentialy usefull.

 

[smetzger]

Frankly, I don't care if you don't release your binaries, I think what you do is moronic. Write useful programs instead.

There are some useful programs that have come to fruition because of viruses. Some of the techniques that viruses employ have been used in legitimate programs.

 

[Maraxle]

Is writing a short story instead of an essay on world trade economics 'moronic'? It's the same thing... Using a talent to do something small and fun as opposed to something potentialy usefull.

Short stories are art. Virii are annoyances with no socially redeeming value. Write games or D&D utilities instead.

On a side note, virus writing these days is very easy compared to years past. You didn't have these stupid (but effective) vbscript email viruses and the benefit of publicly posted exploits. You actually needed some skill to squeeze something worth spreading into the boot sector on a 5 1/4" disk.

Anybody else remember the Italian (sometimes called Ping Pong) virus? Now that was actually pretty cool.

 

[Tsyr]

Short stories are art. Virii are annoyances with no socially redeeming value. Write games or D&D utilities instead.

I beg to differ. Code is art. And they don't annoy you in the slightest. Further, my short stories have no socialy redeeming value.

 

[Maraxle]

Some code is art - code that does something useful or fun. Not code that keeps me in the office on the weekends and does thousands of dollars of damage to a business because some script kiddie decided to try to prove how 133t they are.

 

[Tsyr]

Some code is art - code that does something useful or fun. Not code that keeps me in the office on the weekends and does thousands of dollars of damage to a business because some script kiddie decided to try to prove how 133t they are.

It's all the same thing, IMO. It's like swordsmiths taking pride in their work... It's not that they are proud that it kills people, but rather proud it's so well suited to the task.

Besides, since the stuff I write DOESN'T keep you at the office, I don't see how this is a valid defense.

 

[Maraxle]

When a swordsmith creates a sword, he is creating a tool that can have both good and bad purposes. For every wrongful death caused by one, there's an innocent life being saved by one. When you waste your time by writing virii, you are creating something that serves no good purpose. In fact, I would say that a better analogy than the swordsmith would be the guy who figures out how to make a more potent form of some illegal drug, but justifies it by saying that it's okay because he isn't sharing.

 

[Tsyr]

When a swordsmith creates a sword, he is creating a tool that can have both good and bad purposes. For every wrongful death caused by one, there's an innocent life being saved by one. When you waste your time by writing virii, you are creating something that serves no good purpose. In fact, I would say that a better analogy than the swordsmith would be the guy who figures out how to make a more potent form of some illegal drug, but justifies it by saying that it's okay because he isn't sharing.

Hardly.

A virus isn't illegal, in and of itself. It's just computer code. By it's very definition, an illegal drug is.

A virus unreleased does no harm, to anyone. When I turn it loose on an old laptop to see what it does, no harm is being done... There is nothing on that laptop to be harmed. A new form of drug could, potentialy, kill you.

I also disagree with your notion that for every life taken, an innocent one is saved. But that's a moral issue, not really suited for this board. Suffice it to say I don't accept the arguement at all.

Mostly my problem is I object to being told that doing something for a hobby is "moronic", and that I should, as though there were some cosmic force creating a need for it, devote my time to making stuff to benefit others. Why should I do these things? Why? What buisness is it of yours, one way or the other?

 

[Maraxle]

Simply put, I agree with the person who said that writing virii as a hobby is moronic. I do not care if you do it, but when you admit that you make virii for fun, you should expect to have some people question the value of how you spend your time, and possibly even your personal ethics. I have the capability to write virii, but choose to do worthwhile things with my time.