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From: rww@demon.siemens.com (Richard W West)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Intentional Virus(es?)
Message-ID: <0007.9006051151.AA17014@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 4 Jun 90 19:05:57 GMT
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Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

I have had just the strangest thought about all of the commercial
products out there on the market that protect from viruses, for
example Symantec's Anti-Virus for the Macintosh -- a product that
"learns."  Did the thought ever occur to anyone that the possibility
is there for companies to make and distribute their own new viruses
just to keep purchases of their product up?  I mean the potential
there is great, and all of the benefits go to the companies.  Each
time a virus comes out, the companies soon follow the viruses with
their "vaccine".  Take my example of SAM.  Sure, the program allows
for definitions of new viruses, but you need to buy an update to the
program if you want to have the capability of removing the infection
from programs.  As with most other programs (the good ones), you have
to purchase a brand new version (an update) to combat the new virus.
This leaves a greater potential for companies to profit from the
creation of new viruses.

Hey, sorry.. it was just a thought.

- -Rich West
Siemens Corporate Research and Development
Princeton, New Jersey
Internet: rww@demon.siemens.com