“An article on last week’s front page of SecurityPortal
entitled “Reflections on the Strange, Perplexing, Interminable, and
Most Lamentable Phenomenon Known as the Viral Wars” contains an
alarming suggestion.”
“It proposes that we…”Develop antiviral viruses
(antibodies) that are polymorphic and mobile. Roaming the Internet
they would seek out and destroy new viral strains. (SARC is
doing some interesting work in this area. More needs to be done
though.)”. There are several problems with this idea.”
“First, it ignores the basic problem with viruses — that they
run on other people’s computers without authorization. Presumably,
a “beneficial” virus would propagate by similarly illegitimate
means, but carry a “good” payload rather than a destructive one.
For that reason, I believe that anyone who releases such a “good”
virus should be charged with the same offense as one releasing a
“bad” virus, although with reduced penalties for its perhaps lesser
damage and less deliberately destructive intent.”