Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!agate!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!isgate!krafla!frisk
From: frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: need ibm viruses
Keywords: virus
Message-ID: <3018@krafla.rhi.hi.is>
Date: 5 Apr 91 16:20:16 GMT
References: <1991Apr01.024515.204@ecst.csuchico.edu>
Reply-To: frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Organization: University of Iceland (RHI)
Lines: 27

In article <1991Apr01.024515.204@ecst.csuchico.edu> amjad@ecst.csuchico.edu (Amjad Saqfalhait) writes:
>Hi, I am working on a virus detector as an undergraduate project.
>In order to have it catch more viruses, I am asking for people to send
>me their ibm viruses. The more you send me, the more i will appreciate it!

The problem with this is simple:

We do not have any guarantee you will not redistribute the viruses you get.

As I have a very large collection of PC-viruses (more than 400 variants),
I get requests like this quite often.  My usual reply is something along the
following lines...

	"Please send me a written request on university letterhead,
	 signed by your supervisor and the head of the department,
	 stating exactly which viruses you need and how you will
	 prevent them from spreading."

So far I have not had a single satisfactory reply.

-frisk

Fridrik Skulason      University of Iceland  |       
Technical Editor of the Virus Bulletin (UK)  |  Reserved for future expansion
E-Mail: frisk@rhi.hi.is    Fax: 354-1-28801  |