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[nick84]

RE: Gigabyte (Anti-Virus Virus to counteract others) on 01-25 show


Just though I’d post my opinion on your comments about Gigabyte.
Personally I though you were maybe a bit over the top and condescending, ie: “you may think you’re the worlds greatest programmer”, I mean she never actually said that and its only code. Code that she didn't / wouldn't send out if you read her web page (the host of which currently seems to be down). She likes programming viruses / self replicating code for a hobby, and that’s all there is to it, much the same as anyone else likes football etc. Writing virus code as far as I can see isn’t too much different from writing proof of concept code for say a vulnerability in a Microsoft product, which people do very day. You also mentioned she should “stick with what she knows” - I mean if everyone does that how’s anyone mean to learn anything new?

Also about your advice to always update your virus software. Personally I only update/run mine when I need to, ie: when I download an executable file from an internet site, and so far I haven’t even downloaded any viruses in 2+ years. I have on a few occasions received viruses sent via email but of course I’ve never run them so I’ve had no problems. If you’re smart about where you download from you’ll rarely have any problems, unless their server is compromised. However I guess less experienced people would find it useful as they would get taken in by skilfully worded emails.

[rax]

Hey Nick

Thanks for the comments.

Gigabyte did what Microsoft thought "no one" could do when she made the Sharpei virus.

(Side note here the original macro virus was done as a proof of concept too -- no one thought it could be done, so someone did it. The source code of the macro said "there, that ought to be enough to prove my point.")

Gigabyte, in my opinion, was overly ambitious in implementing YahaSux. "Patching" (infecting) every EXE in the Windows directory? Come on, don't you think that that’s a bit much? How can she (or anyone) be sure of what the ramifications of doing that are?

Stick with what you know -- it's easier to "break" things than it is to fix things. I can take a car engine apart, but if I try to put it back together again, I'm almost guaranteed that it won't work (of course, there are people who can and do do this every day -- analogues aren't 100% perfect so you'll have to cut me some slack on this one).

I don't fault Gigabyte for trying to learn new things at all. Having the "balls" to think that you can write something that will fix a program that it took so many programmers so many hours to screw things up in the first place is being awfully sure of yourself.

Regarding viruses, you hit it on the head when you said "I guess less experienced people would find it useful as they would get taken in by skillfully worded emails."

Most people are plain gullible enough to get sucked in. And most people don't bother to update their virus signatures nearly often enough. It's not just e-mail borne viruses that are the problem, as you know.

The rate of new viruses (virii?) discovered is such that it really does need to have the "average Joe" check things a couple of times a week. If there's no new definitions, you've wasted 10 seconds or so.


Thanks again for checking out the show. You ought to try calling in sometime. I'd have loved to have this conversation on the air.

Late

Rax