MyDoom

Link to My Doom

It activates when you open an infected attachment. I make it my business NEVER to open any attachments. I tell my friends that if they can't send domething to me straight, not to bother. If you get something peculiar, with an attachment, just delete it. Then it can't harm your computer.

Avoid using a mailing software (or its setting) that automatically executes an attachment on a PC.

Why do hackers have so much fun screwing with other people's business?

...and by all means get yourself anti-virus software such as Norton or McAfee.

Individual- Do you want me to start on a philosophical diatribe? :wink:

IMO, It all has to do with control of others.

Devotion worthy of a better cause...

It looks like some of these nasties coming out lately have money making ambitions behind them. For example, hijacking your box to send out spam. Also, in the MyDoom virus the author left a note saying that he is sorry and he is just doing his job.

I believe the type of people who do this are akin to the TP'ers and egger's of twenty years ago.

While yes, some part is control, they just are around to wreak havoc on their fellow citizens.

How many viruses you think are sponsored by anti virus software companies? I believe most!

Creative marketing, like having five weight loss clinics, and two donut shops.

Could be, Wilso, could be. . .

Don't people that write viruses generally get caught? Even if they spoof their IP address the feds still have ways of tracking down the computer that it was sent from.

In any case, it takes a sick mind to be able to get enjoyment out of writing a virus. Even if it's just a harmless virus that doesn't really do anything harmfull the author is still sick. I've lost data before because of viruses and I wonder what bone that person had to pick with me. I worked long and hard to create what I had on my computer and it was senselessly wiped out by some idiot who thought it would be fun to write a virus. What do some people have against technology.

I'm sorry but this topic just rubs me the wrong way...

If the person happens to work for an anti virus software company, every virus potentially creates millions in revenue!

Yes, but the companies have way too much to lose if they get caught. Not only is it unethical but extremely illegal. And they have no way to assure that people will buy their services exclusively.

This when has legality, or morality had anything to do with business?

I agree with Individual, I can't see any of the larger virus protection companies actually writing viruses to keep themselves in business. There's too much to risk and it's too easy to get caught.

I could probably see a smaller less known software outfit doing this. But I still think it would spell out their own doom.

I do think however that the virus protection companies tend to hire a lot of formerly convicted hackers and there is that potential for an employee to act on his own by putting out a virus to help his company make money.

Exactly.

Pitter, I have sbcyahoo as my internet provider. I have gotten some emails from Yahoo in the last day or two saying that they found a virus in an email to me (clearly spam), in the attachment, and that because they couldn't clean the attachment itself, they - in my words - wiped it out. That if I wanted to read it I had to ask the sender (fat chance).

I am not going to get that virus anyway, since I don't have a pc, but I appreciate the yahoo effort.

I just double deleted their email, which, as they said, didn't have the worm in it anyway, since they wiped out the attachment contents.