Virus writers follow the money

[whatthe]

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5...=zdfd.newsfeed

More than half of recent major Internet threats try to harvest personal information, a sign that financial gain is behind the attacks, according to a Symantec study.

Identity theft features were found in 54 percent of the top 50 malicious codes detected between July and December last year, the security company said in a report released Monday. That marks an increase on the 36 percent found during the same period in 2003.

Virus writers without morals, who would have thought?

[XTC46]

wait you mean the people who do this are in it for the money? huh, wish I would have thought of that. /sarcasm

[CXGJarrod]

More than half of recent major Internet threats try to harvest personal information, a sign that financial gain is behind the attacks, according to a Symantec study.

Perhaps financial gain is behind the study?

[scratchONtheBOX]

"Most of the technology today is in its infancy,"

- Then, Symantec and all other AV companies could be considered using same infant technology or the approach otherwise.

- Let's set aside financial gain for a moment, what else could be the motive of VIRI writers? It's like book authors, first, the inspiration thing, hobby, some money, then Best Seller! Both of them gain all of it when became mature enough compared to what's preventing them.

We are talking about security here yet the proponents of security sometimes tell things that they are ready only when needed to be ready. It's like a "the time will come" thing. Why not now? Yes not everything is full-proof! And perhaps we will go on talking barriers again, and going to discuss again about limitations. Technology Providers should think twice about deploying their infant ideas.

"Attacks are increasingly focusing on the Web server, which is one of the few things exposed externally," Friedrichs said, referring to the server's placement outside the network wall.

- Yet most of these Web servers will be kept unpatched/unsecured eventhough the BIG WARNING is there. I guess that's the way business is all about, it is always about the "cause", no cause, no business.

My 0.02 on this.

Yo!

[ZT3000]

Geez...... you mean they ain't writing it out of the goodness of their heart....??!!
And here I was thinking otherwise... Shame on them, by golly!

- Let's set aside financial gain for a moment, what else could be the motive of VIRI writers?

Uhh.... so they could write Antivirus software and create a big industry?!

(Now who hasn't had "that" idea passing through their minds?....raise your hands now)
(looks around the room) So... I see no hands raised, (turns) Your Honor, I rest my case.

[scratchONtheBOX]

"This represents a clear trend that attackers have gone from seeking fame to seeking fortune

- I am pertaining to the trend if that is what you ask about.

Yo!

[scratchONtheBOX]

ZT3000,

OK, sorry for answering in a hurry.

Here’s my 0.02 to clarify things:

- Let's set aside financial gain for a moment

- I mean before jumping to the final conclusion about financial gain, let’s see the steps of such thinking, something like an evolution of virus writers thinking. At first, old virus writers do it for inspiration thing, hobby, and some money. I had compared it to writers in a way that the books become popular in a given period of time. When the book gets the credit of BEST SELLER, in a way, it had gone from seeking fame to seeking fortune. It’s uncontrollable anymore. Maybe I should pertain to the Publisher’s REAL aim (most of the time is to sell). The same with virus writers, there are BIG groups involved in here who aims for the $.

so they could write Antivirus software and create a big industry?!

- About Antivirus companies, yes it is becoming a BIG industry (that’s why M$ is aiming for one) since everyday there is “cause” for business. Feasibility, that is. Why engage in a business without expecting any profit? Even an individual would not do it without gain, right? -For the business side of course. But for the GOOD-OLD reasons, we could just think of it like FOR THE BETTERMENT of the COMPUTER WORLD.

I hope I made my point clear.

Peace!

Yo!