So it goes, experts say, with the creators of computer viruses, the devilish bits of coding that can crash a PC, erase a hard drive or fill a screen with obscenities. Professional programmers savor the satisfaction of seeing their work embraced by millions. The reverse is true of virus writers. You write an attack or you write a virus, and it gets out there in the world, and you're proud of it. Experts say the creators belong to a shadowy community of hackers, virus writers and other electronic mischief-makers.
Malicious intent is confined to a few, according to scholars and consultants.
I don't for a moment excuse it or belittle the danger. President Clinton issued two directives last summer regarding Pentagon security against information-warfare attack. A NATO spokesman told reporters Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium, that Yugoslav hackers were bombarding the alliance's Web site with viruses and unwanted e-mails. But at some point, he added, an American enemy may succeed in such a penetration. Researchers report encountering virus writers as old as their 40s, but in the main they tend to be both young and male.