Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!mit-eddie!rutgers!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: ZDEE699@ELM.CC.KCL.AC.UK Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: Are virus sources public domain software ? Message-ID: <0002.9002071642.AA05334@ge.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 5 Feb 90 10:31:39 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 21 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu In VIRUS-L, V3-I29, Todd Hooper () writes: > What possible technique could you use > to make it illegal 'illegal to own or transmit virus code '? " Well, how about some reliable organisation (the CERT, for example) registering the source code under copyright laws ? Is virus code considered as public domain software ? I wouldn't think so ! If the source was copyright, then anyone having an unauthorized copy of it would be in illegality. In fact, one might even say that the virus itself is illegal on the grounds that it copies itself without authorization. Anybody who feel they *NEED* to keep the source in their possession should then also register or ask for authorization from the organisation holding the copyright. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ |Olivier M.J. Crepin-Leblond, Comp. Sys. & Elec. Eng | On this computer, | |Electrical & Electronic Eng, King's College London, UK | a flame-proof | |BITNET : | shield, is an | |INTERNET: | expensive gadget... | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^