It's only a matter of time . . .

John (EBo) David plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
Thu, 20 Sep 2001 12:48:52 -0700


"Michael J. Schweppe" wrote:
> 
> >> Now, let's see how long it takes some miscrant to combine this
> >> infection method...
> 
> [snipped for ease of reading, not content deletion per se]

no problem...

> >Let's not GIVE THEM IDEAS!
> 
> ...
> The idea that discussing fill-in-the-blank potential threat(s) may
> actually cause someone(s) to craft and execute the evil act is pretty
> much absurd in my opinion.  The evil doers already know what they want
> to do and there are far more knowledgable sites/lists to obtain such
> information other than this list.

here I will disagree.  Many if not most viruses and root kits are not
written by carefull programmers, but by many who get ahold of one and
modify it a little.  Now picture a situation where a total hack cuts and
pastes the aformentioned viruses and actually produces the thing.  This
is the cyber version of a copycat crime.  I'll bet you a nikel that
things like coppycats do happen...

> Not to diminish George's comments, but I'm sure that his musings are
> not original and that others have already given consideration to the
> matters he has pointed out.  Even if George's thoughts are original,
> would not the sharing of those thoughts/ideas be more pro-active
> instead of not discussing them?

Ok... how do we combat such an attack?  or even the current version of
the attack for that matter?

  EBo --