Virus writers (handbags at 20 paces)

[swoop101]

Just found this article and it would seem that the script kiddies are falling out.
quote:
It's cyber-handbags at dawn as worm authors turn on each other
The authors of the MyDoom, Bagel and Netsky worms are staging a public slanging match - with the world's PCs as their arena.
The war started when an early version of Netsky, referred to as either C or D, began removing the Bagel and MyDoom viruses as part of its payload.

And now the authors of MyDoom.G, spreading today, have included comments in the worm's code insulting Netsky.

A similar message was found in Bagel J, also discovered today, which ended: "Don't ruine our bussiness, wanna start a war?"

Netsky's authors responded with the following message in Netsky.F: "Skynet AntiVirus - Bagle - you are a looser!!!"

"We have three different groups fighting here," said Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research for F-Secure.

"Netsky seems to come from an individual or hobbyist group while Bagel's creators appear to be a spam group like MyDoom's authors. We don't know who's going to win but in the meantime the rest of us are all losing."

The battle continues to hot up, with more than one new variant of all three viruses being identified today.

Interesting

Maybe they will all nuke each other and rid the world of these virus's

[Rob]

Originally Posted by stuartbe

Interesting

Maybe they will all nuke each other and rid the world of these virus's

Unfortunately unlikely. What it does mean is that you need to ensure your antvirus updates once a day, or preferably more frequently if possible.

And NEVER open an attachment in an email when you are not expecting that email, even if it does seem to come from someone you might know.

[poolking]

As stuartbe said, as long as they are busy trying to nuke each other we are safe for the moment.

Popcorn anyone?

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by poolking

As stuartbe said, as long as they are busy trying to nuke each other we are safe for the moment.

Popcorn anyone?

Not really my friend, as they attack each other via proxy (Wich is home computers & business computers world wide) never directly, meaning that this will probably escalate the rate of virus production.

[poolking]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Not really my friend, as they attack each other via proxy (Wich is home computers & business computers world wide) never directly, meaning that this will probably escalate the rate of virus production.

Maybe I shouldn't post when tired.

Or when I'm in a sarcastic or funny mood, as I tend to post total rubbish.

Of course the rate of virus production will rise, as they battle to outdo each other.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by poolking

Maybe I shouldn't post when tired.

Or when I'm in a sarcastic or funny mood, as I tend to post total rubbish.

Of course the rate of virus production will rise, as they battle to outdo each other.

Hmm. Sorry to be rather pedantic but shouldn't your final in fact be a or or even a

After all untill these idiots declare which isn't going to happen, theyr'e basically playing with our puters

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Hmm. Sorry to be rather pedantic but shouldn't your final in fact be a or or even a

After all untill these idiots declare which isn't going to happen, theyr'e basically playing with our puters

Fortunatley there is a benefit of what they are doing, most of these viruses dont have lasting effects (Like the ones a few years back that rewrote your BIOS) so they can be easily cleaned, this also highlights problems in the windows code and improves security stoping some A-Hole script kiddie from personally attacking your computer and doing something lasting like the bios thingy above.

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Fortunatley there is a benefit of what they are doing, most of these viruses dont have lasting effects (Like the ones a few years back that rewrote your BIOS) so they can be easily cleaned, this also highlights problems in the windows code and improves security stoping some A-Hole script kiddie from personally attacking your computer and doing something lasting like the bios thingy above.

Oh come on that's taking being positive about a negative to extremes.How much are we as the 'civilians' in this WAR paying out for AV's and firewalls?

They are the cyber equivilant of the local stone throwing,fence busting,window smashing,spraycan wielding thugs that plagued many neighbourhoods.If I said well there is an advantage to them because they make the police upgrade and review their crime statistics you would want to smack me.

The trouble is that these people are far from being idiots. In fact a lot of them are very talanted code and script writers. I dont think I could make anything that small nor do I know anyone who could and there are over 1000 very talented people where I work.

Sadly by discussing this and by the press making a big deal of it we are giving them what they want - Notoriety - That is why they do it IMHO.. They can say to there close mates " look - I wrote that ".......

This is the kind of problem that will never go away !!! However if software and OS manufacturers put a higher priority on writing code that was not full off bloatware and security holes they would have a much harder job.

Its everyone's responsibility to curb these kinds of activities. As I have said before...... Its time OEM's were made to install firewall software and decent antivirus programs. At the moment all that an OEM has to do is make sure that all MS critical updates are installed and half of them dont even do that !

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by stuartbe

The trouble is that these people are far from being idiots. In fact a lot of them are very talanted code and script writers. I dont think I could make anything that small nor do I know anyone who could and there are over 1000 very talented people where I work.

Sadly by discussing this and by the press making a big deal of it we are giving them what they want - Notoriety - That is why they do it IMHO.. They can say to there close mates " look - I wrote that ".......

This is the kind of problem that will never go away !!! However if software and OS manufacturers put a higher priority on writing code that was not full off bloatware and security holes they would have a much harder job.

Its everyone's responsibility to curb these kinds of activities. As I have said before...... Its time OEM's were made to install firewall software and decent antivirus programs. At the moment all that an OEM has to do is make sure that all MS critical updates are installed and half of them dont even do that !

Agreed Stu.
The bright and intelligent are usually the worst when it comes to vandalism and trouble making.In the classroom I'd rather deal the least intelligent troublemaker because they have no comeback when you tell them off beyond I didn't do it.The intelligent ones manage to turn it around so that it's your fault they are misbehaving.
Now isn't that how the hackers and script kiddies usually put it when challenged for reasons why they do what they do?

Incog.

Bright and intelligent they may be, but they are lacking in a life. They are beyond geekness. They are probably all parker wearing 35 stone Mullet haired greaseballs.

I couldnt give a toss about what they do, if they want to spend all their time writing poxy pieces of code that annoy some and simply bounce of my back then so be it, letting them have even an ounce of credit or a single ray of limelight is playing into their pathetic child like hands.

If you ask me they should all be publically humiliated for what they are (see above).