There's always a new type of trojan or virus, dodgy spyware etc. that's being discovered. Can they really all be created by some geek in his garage looking to cause some havoc? I find it a bit unlikely that all 'malicious software' (as Windows Update calls it) is being created by cyber vandals. Why waste all that time and energy on something so pointless when talented people capable of writing these viruses could probably get a job doing something more constructive AND get paid for it? I suspect firms like McAfee and Norton are the ones really behind the majority of these viruses. They develop them, hoping to infect computers across the world so that gullible mugs go out and buy their expensive software in order to destroy the viruses they themselves created. Anyone agree or am I just being paranoid?
Have had the same thought. The creators are all on one floor while the anti-virus crew is on the next floor.
Are biological virus created by drugs firms? Is the Pope a Catholic? Do bears shit in the woods? Why did my dad not turn into a werewolf when we were watching a Michael J. Fox movie? Why is the sea brown? Why is there only one sheet of loo paper left when you need to take an emergency crap in the pub?
Because people suck. Smart kids with nothing better to do than screw up people's lives for a kick write these viruses or to impress their friends/society at large. It's no better than a graffit "artist" tagging your car. They need to publicly break the fingers of virus creators one by one and then jam their keyboards into their rectum.
Actually, viruses are generally written by programmers who are above average but not outstanding in ability, but who believe they are exceptionnel. They are frustrated because their "genius" is not recognized. In fact, their psychological profile is almost exactly the same as internet trolls. Anti-virus programs, on the other hand, are written by outstanding programmers. (The good ones, at least.) Though the general public has been favorable to the theory that viruses are written by anti-virus people (conspiracy theories are always popular), computer professionals in general reject that theory out of hand. At least, that is the result of my discussions on the subject with various computer professionals.
One might suspect that, but only one disgruntled employee could blow up shenengians like that. And given how much damage these things do, the AV company would be stomped into the ground by lawsuits and bankrupt even before the trial begins. I think this stuff is created by two types of people: lonely youths who like the idea of 'power' by destruction and shady commercial companies. The first group makes destructive virii, the second spyware. What the point is in spyware that bogs down one's computer to a crawl and is thus easily discovered even by the novice? I don't know. I'd have it work subtly.
I dont think so, the problem with virii and trojans is that with some effort they can be traceable. Just imagine the uproar if one was traced back to symanted or macafee or something, they'd be finished.
I knew a hyper-intelligent guy that made all his money in computers. we were talking about virii and I mentioned that someone should write a virus that actually benefits your computer. (like defragging the drive) He thought that was a cool idea. "Oh! And a screen pops up saying, "Please wait while your computer is Optimized..."" Anyway, while we were talking about it, he mentioned that he has written a few virii. I said "WHAT!?" He goes, "Ohno! nothing damaging, just ones that report back every third generation. Writing a virus is actually quite a feat. getting them to reproduce and move on is a bitch. So its a personal challenge. The people that write the damaging ones are challenging themselves in a different way. And they have severe social problems. Me? I'm fine." To me, that opened a whole new area of reason for why someone would do it.
