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From: Bob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,comp.sys.apple,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Right of reply, virus- public, private- a thin line
Message-ID: <15139@cup.portal.com>
Date: 26 Feb 89 21:29:45 GMT
References: <699@orbit.UUCP>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 43

Responding to various messages about viruses...
 
I agree that knowledge of the *existance* of viruses can be helpful..
 
I disagree that *specifics* of viruses, either source code, or *descriptions*
of how viruses work, can do anything other than guarantee their spread.
 
It's true that the information necessary to create a virus is available,
IF you know where to look, and IF you are experienced enough to make use
of that information.  Those who are advanced enough to do this *may* be
responsible enough to avoid using that information harmfully...  I agree
that there is *no way* to prevent anyone from using information obtained
through independant research like this, in a harmful way..
 
What I don't think is either helpful, or responsible, is to distill that
information and make it public, so those who might not otherwise be able to
use this *specific* information maliciously can take the work and expand
upon it.  (Maybe they'll take their anti-social tendencies and do something
else, like trying to break into Government computers)
 
I know how an Atom Bomb works.. that knowledge is NOT going to save me if
anyone uses one...  similarly, knowing the genetic makeup of the AIDS virus
won't protect anyone..
 
Even if my friend the print shop owner had known chapter and verse of how
Macintosh viruses work, it STILL wouldn't have prevented his hard drive
from being trashed.  The number of people who can make use of specific
information about computer viruses for *good* purposes is probably quite
small, when compared with the potential for abuses.
 
My point is, the average *user* cannot protect himself with knowledge of
*how* a virus works.. he needs a *practical application* he can run. In the
Atari ST world, we have several good virus killers, notably the work of
George Woodside in particular.  Knowing *how* a virus works is *not* going
to help to use George's program.  All it's going to do is to help someone to
write a new virus.
 
Far from hurting thousands of computer users by surpressing the *specifics*
of viruses, I think they would be FAR MORE at risk if the information is
made public.
 
BobR