Date: Wed, 3 Mar 93 22:04:23 WET
From: frisk@COMPLEX.IS(Fridrik Skulason)
Subject: File 5--Comments on proposed virus writing contest (Frisk)

> 1) What are the values/dangers of such contests?

that is a stupid question....it has no value whatsoever.  It will
only
mean more work for anti-virus people.

> 2) How do we distinguish between "benign" and "malevolent"
>    virus writers?

why bother...a virus is a virus...

> 3) Do virus writers have anything of value to teach security
>    specialists?

no.

> These are suggestive, and feel free to develop any line of
> discussion you feel appropriate.

How about the following:  one of the viruses submitted to the
competition gets loose, and manages to infect somebody in the UK.
He
files a complaint, and as a result of that the sponsors of the
competition are charged with an "incitement to commit a computer
crime", and as demonstrated in the Popp case, he can be extradited
(sp?) to the UK, where prosecuting someone for virus writing is a
lot
easier than in the US.

anyhow, I have more significant things to do with my time than to
spend my time commenting on a stupid idea like this one.

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