Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!ucbvax!pro-exchange.cts.COM!rich
From: rich@pro-exchange.cts.COM (Rich Sims)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Writing computer viruses
Message-ID: <8809051017.AA05580@crash.cts.com>
Date: 5 Sep 88 00:57:57 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: pnet01!pro-simasd!pro-exchange!rich@nosc.mil
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 49

Dave Lyons writes:

>I would be in favor of a bill making it illegal to write (1)
>malicious software and (2) viruses, whether they intentionally cause
>damage or not.

   <additional text deleted>

>Where would YOU (all of you) draw the line between what should be
>legal and what should be illegal, and why?

I think I'll skip the "list" you posted, and respond more generally.

I'd have to disagree with the idea of "making it illegal to write a virus",
but (in part) for reasons different than those mentioned by the others.

First of all, such a law would be unenforceable without total governmental
control and access to *every* computer, *everywhere*...  we don't need laws
like that, we've already got plenty of them.

(Come up with reasonable and enforceable legislation that serves a useful
purpose and I'd re-think that point!)

Secondly, there is nothing inherently wrong with an individual writing any
type of code he (or she, to avoid flak) feels like.  What *is* wrong, is the
intent of the individual to cause damage by distribution of code which does
all the things mentioned.  The mere fact that it "could" possibly "escape"
is not sufficient reason to make it illegal.  If it were, *all* research, in
any field, would have to be banned on the grounds that it might result in
some harmful effect, either directly, or indirectly.

Since this is a "less than perfect" world, populated by "less than perfect"
people, there will always be those who will attempt to cause trouble in one
way or another.  That includes writing computer viruses.  If it were illegal
to write one, and all the folks with good intentions and high principles were
to obey that law, there would be no programs available to detect and eliminate
the viruses written by people who paid no attention to the law.  After all,
it's a bit difficult to write software that you can't test, and the only way
to test anti-virus software is to write a variety of viruses to try it out
on, just to make sure it works!

There are seldom any "simple" solutions to real problems.  In many cases, what
looks like a good idea at first, is really akin to opening Pandora's box.

-Rich Sims-

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