From: pjc@melb.bull.oz.au (Paul Carapetis)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Re: FC on virus creation
Date: 9 Dec 92 22:17:58 GMT

Fred Cohen said:

> 	ASP has already introduced one virus-based commercial product
> (which has never been detected as a virus by any scanner) which
> operates quite well, and we are in the process of creating another
> virus-based product designed to operate in LANs.  Our users don't seem
> to be offended by the optimization of resource utilization, automated
> distribution and installation, high reliability, and small space used
> by our products based on viruses, but it seems to offend the
> anti-virus community that all of their overblown claims about all
> viruses being bad are being undercut by benevolent viruses that are
> safe and reliable.  In fact, most of our viruses work on far more
> systems than most virus defenses, and they don't spread where they are
> not supposed to go.  They are easy to control and remove, they are
> compatable with every DOS based system we have seen to date, and they
> have never generated any unintended side-effects.  Kinda blows the
> whole "all viruses are bad" thing, huh!

I normally just read the virus-l digest and restrain from
participation as there are many more qualified people to answer the
many queries, and there is usually a proliferation of such responses.
The above statement from Dr.  Cohen has, however, inspired me to send
this posting.

I have neither the extent of education or the wealth of experience
that is possessed by the esteemed Dr. Cohen, but am I alone in my
skepticism of the above concept?

The subject of benevolent viruses (or "good" viruses) has arisen on
this forum many times in the past and, indeed, amongst some other
professionals at various courses and conventions that I have attended
(including a very informative course given by Prof. Eugene Spafford).
Discussions on said subject always ended with the decision that it
seemed impossible to ensure the integrity of the benevolent viruses
and that should these be modified to become malevolent, they could be
far more dangerous than the usual "run-of-the-mill" virus as they
would be propagated with the users' knowledge.

I may be a die-hard skeptic, but I still have trouble believing that
Dr.  Cohen has created a benevolent virus that is immune to
modification - maybe, if you deem my inquiry warrants a response Fred,
you could put my (and probably many other peoples') mind(s) at ease on
this matter.

This is not an attack on Dr. Cohen, just an expression of concern over
a concept being used and even recommended by him.  In fact, I find his
postings to be informative and usually somewhat controversial which
has the side effect of promoting discussion - always educational!

Regards and Blueskies from down-under,
Paul

| Paul Carapetis, Software Advisor (Unix, DOS, C)|   Phone: 61 3 2464944     |
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