BSTRATTO@NAS.BITNET (Bob Stratton) (06/09/89)
In VIRUS-L Digest, Thursday, 8 Jun 1989, Volume 2 : Issue 132: odawa@well.sf.ca.us (Michael Odawa) writes: > Let us set the record straight on this subject: > No known software publisher has ever intentionally released a virus > into circulation, nor is it likely that any would do so, as it would > be contrary to their interests. Viruses threaten the entire software > industry and expose the releasing party to an enormous legal > liability. While the following information pertains specifically to a trojan horse, it is a prime example of a software company (or at the very least - individuals at a software company) writing deleterious software to further personal aims. I quote from the "Dirty Dozen List, Revision 8D"; SUG.ARC - " Words can not express my feelings about this trojan. SUG.ARC advertises that it can break SOFTGUARD copy protection, but upon invocation, it will scramble the FATs on drive A, B, C, and onwards to your highest drive. - ----> While this is certainly a nasty trojan, it is particularly - ----> repulsive because SOFTGUARD, CORP, THE CREATORS OF SOFTGUARD - ----> COPY-PROTECTION, WROTE IT - perhaps in response to declining - ----> business. [My emphasis - RJS III] They claim that anyone who runs SUG is breaking an original license agreement; therefore they may legally destroy data. I don't credit this, and neither does an attorney I know, so I eagerly anticipate Softguard's day in court." I wouldn't normally credit rumors of this sort, but this list has generally been well-researched, and the author(s) seem(s) to put a lot of time into verification of the reports he receives. Cheers, Bob - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Robert J. Stratton, III BITNET: BSTRATTO@NAS Stratton Systems Design INTERNET: BSTRATTO%NAS.BITNET@UUNET.UU.NET Alexandria, VA, USA USENET: uunet!NAS.BITNET!BSTRATTO PSTNET: 1-202-334-3638 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Software is like entropy. It is difficult to grasp, weighs nothing, and obeys the Second Law of Thermodynamics; i.e., it always increases." -- Law XVII: "Augustine's Laws" -- Norman R. Augustine --
UMECE80@VAXA.CC.IMPERIAL.AC.UK (06/10/89)
Does anybody know how and where I can get a copy of SUG.ARC trojan described by Bob Stratton in VIRUS-L 133 ? Costas K. Krallis | UMECE80@VAXA.CC.IC.AC.UK (Janet) | Imperial College | KRALLIS@GRATHUN1 (BITNET) | London U.K.