Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!rutgers!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!cert.sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: jurjen@cwi.nl (Jurjen NE Bos) Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: Dutch Intermediar mentions "Benign viruses" Message-ID: <0009.9009041303.AA00213@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 3 Sep 90 09:07:02 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 22 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu In the latest issue of the Dutch weekly "Intermediar" I found an article that shocked me. It told about a virus that was made to "update" databases that contained peoples' addresses and such. The author claimed that it was convenient to have up-to-date databases that were maintained this way. He used as an example that "If you look for people interested in a certain subject, you may find only two people if you search on Monday, and already six if you look on Wednesday." I find it frightening that somebody finds this kind of viruses a good thing, while we know that every idiot can change those programs to very nasty harmful objects. He mentioned that a virus doing this was developed to "update" HyperCard databases. So Mac users, look out for this guy! It's just a warning. There are people who believe in "good" viruses. - -- | | "Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what | | Jurjen N.E. Bos | it might appear to others that what you were or might | | | have been was not otherwise than what you had been | | jurjen@cwi.nl | would have appeared to them to be otherwise." |