Re: Get your computer viruses here!

[Drsolly <drsollyp () drsolly com>]

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005, Blue Boar wrote:

> Nick FitzGerald wrote:
> > Historically 
> > the AV industry (and others) has continually faced the utter BS 
> > suggestion that it is responsible for, if not writing, at least 
> > releasing and distributung, viruses to "drum up business", etc.  This 
> > has made responsible members of the AV industry _especially_ sensitive 
> > to any sample sharing that does not have proper safeguards ensuring to 
> > a very high degree of responsibility that shared samples will not get 
> > into the hands of those imadequately prepared to handle them equally 
> > conscientiously.
>
> Indeed.  So... and I ask this in all sincerity and without sarcasm, 
> honestly... why should those of us not working for AV companies care 
> about that at all?  ("that" being the reputations of the AV companies.)
>
> I mean, I understand why that might limit an AV company from giving me a 
> sample.  But if I have my own unfettered sample, AV company reputation 
> just doesn't enter into it, does it?

Think more widely. People who aren't involved in computer security, will 
look at this site and say "Hey, these people who pretend to be helping us, 
are actually letting anyone who wants to, download this malicious software 
do do whatever they want with it."

You needn't care about the reputation of the AV companies. But you should 
care about the reputation of computer security people, if you consider 
yourself to be one of them.

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