What's up with viruses?

[Jas]

We all shiver at the words "Computer Virus." My question is, what's the point of these computer viruses? I mean, what moron spends their spare time figuring out how to destroy someone else's computer-- especially when they will never see it work? I just never understood the concept. For example, last year one of my computers got a virus that opened windows pain from the command prompt and then drew a star. Why spend your time doing something like that?

This is a stupid topic, I know, but I have been pondering this for a while now. Spam is usually to sell you stuff, so as annoying as it is, at least there is a point to it. What about viruses?

[boogyman]

capital gain
destruction
mayhem
frustration
annoyance
ignorance

are just a few reasons. just think of any reason imaginable and I am sure its probably been motive for some type of computer virus at some point. Like for instance... why do you smile, because you are happy... There were a number of "Love" email virus' that went around in the late 1990's on this very topic.

the biggest being capital gain and destruction.
Capital gain in leighman terms is just grabbing information for identity theft purposes
and desctruction, well, that is just because they have some vendetta and would like to make others lives more difficult.

The good thing, if you could call it that, about viruses is that they are platform specific, meaning a computer virus written for a Windows machine (most popular) will not infect an apple/mac or linux based OS. The reason for this is that each kernel (inner working) and directory system (how the files are stored and accessed) are different on each. So when the virus looks for the path "C:\Documents and Settings\name" on one of those other platforms it will return nothing, because the hierarchy of it's (OS) shell is set up differently.

[djr33]

Well, it's a bit more than that, as the virus just doesn't run on a mac/linux. Certainly if it was as easy as programming in 3 possible directories, the virus would hit all systems.

Anyway, yeah, the only reason people make viruses is to cause problems. There's some sort of glory to making a virus that destroys computers, or possible there is some actual gain. Or they're just bored and mean.

[Twey]

or example, last year one of my computers got a virus that opened windows pain from the command prompt and then drew a star.

It's about artificial life. It's really interesting to watch a program spread, replicate, and otherwise come about as close to actual life as a computer program can. There's also an element of mischief in bypassing someone's defences, much as with real-time cracking. One of the best vira I heard about was one that played a game with the user with the contents of his/her hard drive as stakes. To be honest, if I got hit by that, it may be irritating to lose the contents of my drive, but it would make my day

Of course, there are other motivations as well. There was a virus which encrypted random files on the user's hard disk and attempted to extort money in order to get the key to decrypt them; there have been vira that turn the machine into a zombie to form part of a botnet, or launch a DOS attack against a certain server; and there are countless vira that simply cause chaos and destruction, which some people like too.

[Jas]

Wow. Three replies already! Thanks guys.

Capital gain in leighman terms is just grabbing information for identity theft purposes . . .

No doubt, but I was excluding spyware. Although, I guess that is a virus, so okay.

. . . and desctruction, well, that is just because they have some vendetta and would like to make others lives more difficult.

So why make it public? Unless you're upset with Microsoft and want to destroy all of the vista computers in the world. . . In which case we're all in trouble (Except for you smart people, who I am sure are running mac OS X).

Well, it's a bit more than that, as the virus just doesn't run on a mac/linux. Certainly if it was as easy as programming in 3 possible directories, the virus would hit all systems.

Although it would be much easier on mac and windows. Linux would be kind of tough. I haven't actually heard of any linux viruses.

Anyway, yeah, the only reason people make viruses is to cause problems. There's some sort of glory to making a virus that destroys computers, or possible there is some actual gain. Or they're just bored and mean.

Okay, so this is the big thing that I am having problems with. Setting spyware aside, what do the creators of these viruses really gain? At worst (speaking of the rough "I'm gunna kill your computer" viruses), they fry a graphics card which the user must reploace before (possibly) reloading their OS. It doesn't really get them anywhere, does it? It probably takes months to code (and how on earth do they test it? Certainly not on one of their computers!), and for what?

One of the best vira I heard about was one that played a game with the user with the contents of his/her hard drive as stakes. To be honest, if I got hit by that, it may be irritating to lose the contents of my drive, but it would make my day

Now that's funny! It sounds like a new game show "Save your computer!" But I would take legal action against whoever created it if I ever found them (doubt it).

Of course, there are other motivations as well. There was a virus which encrypted random files on the user's hard disk and attempted to extort money in order to get the key to decrypt them

Er, that's like saying "My name is <name> and I created the virus that is currently afflicting your computer." No one can trace them and file a lawsuit of some sort?

[djr33]

Although it would be much easier on mac and windows. Linux would be kind of tough. I haven't actually heard of any linux viruses.

Same with Mac. Not like there are many problems. Ha. Really, there are more viruses or at least reasons for viruses, on linux, to attack servers. Macs are just us weird people, and very few of us.



And for a particularly interesting question: Have there ever been any "helpful" viruses? It cleans up your desktop, organizes your files, and gets rid of spyware.
Or, perhaps there's a virus that just hates microsoft (example), and deletes internet explorer and installs firefox?

[Jas]

Or, perhaps there's a virus that just hates microsoft (example), and deletes internet explorer and installs firefox?

Heh. Web developers everywhere rejoice. lol.

If one of those shows up, now, I blame you regardless of whether or not you actually coded it. '

EDIT: by the way, my professor showed us this video today. You've probably already seen it, but it's pretty funny. (the Bill Gates Plug N Play mishap)

[Trinithis]

Twey:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

[Trinithis]

As for a reason: Curiosity. People like to try things they haven't done, and coding a virus might be an intellectual and fun journey. Hell, if I had a junk computer, it might be worth trying to create a virus for the learning experience. (Of course I wouldn't infect other computers . . . or so I claim . . . )

[Twey]

Er, that's like saying "My name is <name> and I created the virus that is currently afflicting your computer." No one can trace them and file a lawsuit of some sort?

There are various anonymous ways of receiving money, and I think they were in a country where it wasn't considered illegal (or wouldn't be prosecuted anyway).

Except for you smart people, who I am sure are running mac OS X

Daniel runs OS X. I run Linux.

Although it would be much easier on mac and windows. Linux would be kind of tough. I haven't actually heard of any linux viruses.

They have existed, but they usually only last as long as the next patch (~ half a day). I don't believe any Linux vira are currently active in the wild.

And for a particularly interesting question: Have there ever been any "helpful" viruses? It cleans up your desktop, organizes your files, and gets rid of spyware.

Yes, certainly. The most common type is a worm that defends the computer against a malicious worm.

Trinithis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_of_virus -- It's really a case of 'pick a plural, any plural.' 'Vira' sounds cool and is also potentially grammatically correct.