kelly@uts.amdahl.com (Kelly Goen) (11/08/89)
Hi I am passing this note on for the CVIA... no endorsement is made nor
representation implied by Amdahl Corp or Onsite consulting as to the
information that follows:
I am the Acting Technical Director of the National BBS Society and,
though I spend a great deal of time on computer virus related
activities, I am not an active participant in any of the virus
discussion forums, such as Virus-L. I do keep current with important
virus issues and virus-related publications and occasionally come
across something that requires comment. Pam Kane's book "V.I.R.U.S. -
Vital Information Resources Under Siege" from Bantam Books is one such
thing.
Aside from the many technical inaccuracies and misleading product
information contained in the book, Pam Kane's portrayal of the
National BBS Society, the Computer Virus Industry Association and John
McAfee's involvement in each is highly charged and grossly fallacious.
Her assertion, for example, that Mr. McAfee 'owns' the National
Bulletin Board Society and controls its virus-related activities is
absurd to the point of comedy. The claim that the donation of a
five-line bulletin board, months of unpaid time, and the
responsibilities of coordination for a loose-knit and highly
independent group of 2,000 SysOps is "ownership" cannot be taken
seriously. Her entire discussion of the National Bulletin Board
Society shows a blatant disregard for the facts and an alarming lack
of understanding of the dynamics of virus research.
More amazing, though, is her recollection of the events
surrounding the formation of the Computer Virus Industry Association,
an event that I witnessed first hand. Ms. Kane would have us believe
that Mr. McAfee was strongly interested in having herself and other
small antiviral product vendors as members and went out of his way to
try and force membership on these companies. My own recollection was
that Mr. McAfee extended these invitations out of politeness. It is
hard to imagine why an organization that includes Microsoft, Lotus,
Novell, Boeing Computer Services, Amdahl, Locus, Fujitsu, Ford
Aerospace, Martin Marietta and 35 other such companies would be so
interested in having Panda Systems as a member.
I asked for and received permission from Mr. McAfee to include
part of a May 2, 1988 letter from Mr. McAfee to Kate Drew-Wilkerson
describing his intent to form the CVIA. I hope this puts his intent
in proper perspective:
"May 2, 1988
"Kate,
" It is clear, at least to me, that computer viruses will not
go away of their own accord. On the contrary, they must, based
on all known laws of statistics, increase in prevalence. What we
see today is merely a shadow of the problems we will face in the
future. The number of individual strains will increase at some
linear rate, and the incidences of infection will increase
geometrically. This much is clear. The time frame is the only
unknown.
" Accordingly, I feel that the most urgent need is to
organize. A consortium of hardware and software developers
focused on the unique problems posed by an impending rash of
infections is Priority One. For this to work, we mustobviously
have the corporate computer industry leaders involved. How to do
so at this juncture is the problem. The companies that shape
the computer markets and policies have not yet been directly
impacted, and by and large they dismiss the issue. In time this
will change. For now, however, I will content myself with the
three or four security firms who have branched out into the
computer virus marketplace and with whom I have established a
rapport. We can jointly form the foundations for the later entry
of the industry giants.
" From a sense of responsibility, and to embark with the
necessary open forum required for success, I will extend an
invitation to all parties that are known to me to be active in
the virus field. It is doubtful, however, given the existing
antagonism between the various vendors, that I shall have much
success at achieving a quorum. In truth, I am counting on the
probability that those vendors who would prove embarrassing as
members will, for obvious reasons, decline participation.
..
" /s/John McAfee"
I would like to thank the moderator of this virus forum for
providing a means of voicing my viewpoints in what I feel is an
important computer virus area.
Aryeh Goretsky, Acting Technical Director
National BBS Society
1429 Dry Creek Road
San Jose, CA 95125-4617
408 265 8499
Kelly Goen/ Cybernetic Systems Specialists Inc.
Disclaimer: neither Amdahl Corp nor Onsite consulting offer any
representation warranty or guarentees as to the accuracy of the
information in this e-mail.