davidf@cs.hw.ac.uk (David.J.Ferbrache) (02/20/89)
I hope the group will excuse me posting this single followup to the by Jim Wright questioning why the technical report will be given a restricted circulation. Firstly, I have never in the past tried to hush up the virus issue, in fact I distribute the virus-l public mailing list to the UK, and have set up an informations server to distribute details of known viruses, disinfection software and general information on viruses to any site in the UK. I will be using any information gathered to put together a compendium of known viruses for posting on the World wide virus-l mailing list. I therefore contest any implication that I have in any way tried to hush up details of viruses. Secondly, there are just two categories of information which I will not distribute freely, these are disassembled source code for viruses, and details of infection reports that I receive in confidence from any commercial (or indeed academic) establishments. The report I am writting will be dealing with the operation of known viruses in great detail. I suspect that it will probably be suitable for public distribution, although the last thing I wan't to do is to extend the virus menace. Anyone involved in the virus field will know the widespread outrage that followed the release of the source code of even benign viruses. The entire field is very sensitive, and any person writing a report treads a wary line between being flamed for being secretive and being flamed for being to open. Sigh. I agree secrecy is not a means for security. Unfortunately at this time their is a battle between virus writer and virus disinfection program writer. There are strong indications that each time a viruses source code is published either in academic journal or popular journal, a large number of mutant strains pop up. The Apple Mac Hpat virus may be an example of this. I will await follow ups to these and Jim's comments on comp.misc with great interest. Dave Ferbrache Personal mail to: Dept of computer science Internet <davidf@cs.hw.ac.uk> Heriot-Watt University Janet <davidf@uk.ac.hw.cs> 79 Grassmarket UUCP ..!mcvax!hwcs!davidf Edinburgh,UK. EH1 2HJ Tel (UK) 031-225-6465 ext 553