Rob Rosenberger, webmaster of the Virus Myths site, said that only 25 people received the Ice Age e-mail. But some crackers who have caused real problems by distributing actual viruses have been richly rewarded for their efforts. Onel de Guzman, the writer of the LoveBug, a worm that ravaged networks last year, has become a national celebrity in the Philippines and received many job offers from security firms. But none of the recent worms are examples of sophisticated programming, say many security experts who believe that the worm's authors were more skilled at psychology than they were at programming. All he managed to do was to find a virus site, download a program, and use his mouse to create a worm in a matter of minutes.
Some security experts urge harsh sentences and a ban on hiring crackers.
The mayor of Sneek has disgraced his community with his public remarks, expressing an interest in hiring Onthefly. It appears that some people, including the mayor of Sneek, will do anything for media exposure. Others agree that most virus writers should not be lauded, but say that exceptions should be made in some cases. End of discussion. The answer to these questions should guide your hiring decisions.