?antivirus Conspiracy?

I was thinking about the Antivirus software that is out there. We have two companys that dominate the industry. McAffee, and Norton. I am relating these companys to drug companys.
Both deal with virus's just on a different level. Well, in order to properly create a fix and patch, you must fully understand the way the virus works. Now I have seen some pretty intracit virri. For even the most experienced programmer would take days if not weeks to crack and then figure the mother ****er out, see what it does, deletes, changes, how it recreates it self....

At this point I wonder how they get these patches and fixes so quickly. I mean its almost as soon as i hear about it, they have a fix. Very efficient, or very deceptive?

I seem to remember alot of conspiracy theorys about how HIV was created to be the worst virus ever. And when it was created, it was created with a vaccin/cure. But the strain had mutated so much that the vaccin/cure did not work. Do antivirus software companys have something in comman with this conspiracy theory? Maybe....

I always second guess the companys that "defend"....

lol Honestly... you bring up some very good points. Maybe someone should start their own AntiVirus company, and write brand new viruses which only they can fix. The fallout from Norton and McAfee could be interesting. :-D

AJ

Well, I've been thinking this for quite a while, myself... frankly, I wouldn't doubt it that the antivirus companies, at one point, were one of the largest "contributors" of new strains to the Internet. I also find it rather funny that the federal government can somehow, for particular viruses, track the thing all the way to its origin and arrest the bonehead... I mean, for simple word docs that are frankly damn easy to forge. But for some of the others that would appear to have much bigger/simpler signatures, it's almost like they're clueless and have no hope...

But, to their credit, I believe certain worms and viruses work in such a pattern that certain IDS systems can pick them up... there's almost always one or two failed attempts before something "big" gets out... so, working off the failed attempts, perhaps they can get a better idea of "what's coming."

I also believe, to a certain extent, virus writers can be like arsonists... basically "start a fire and call the fire department once it gets going." Or similiar to the way defacements used to work... deface a site then go report it to attrition to "photograph" your work (or so it had seemed).

<sigh> Another /. reader.

Eh... /. -- it's still around?

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I always second guess the companys that "defend"....

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Don't worry Dr Toker, we will take care of you ;)

Man, is it me, or is DrToker living up to his name? All that weed is making you waay too paranoid man.

I think that may be the case....

my opinion of most antivirus software is they work by eating up so much space on your hdd that no virus could then possibly reside on it.

I second that, Jabber. And don't forget Norton CrashGuard... What a misnomer...

I doubt there really is a conspiracy, but they DO use a bit of FUD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) mongering to sell products, as the recent McAffee statements on the supposed JPG infector can attest...

CrashGuard...should have been called CrashHarder.
How many of you solved random computer weirdness issues by stopping that stuff from loading at start up? I lost track of how many customers had the full Norton shebang loading up on pentium 100's with 32 mb of ram.

As far as a conspiracy theory goes, well...who's to tell. The drug company comparison is good though, I've always had my doubts about how hard they're looking for the cure for cancer, aids etc when there is tremendous money to be made within the current system.

Mr. Wizard...my thoughts on why virus writers get caught? They brag, they talk about it to their freinds and anyone that will listen.

Antivirus companies don't necessarily find out exactly what every virus does and how it works. all they do is make definitions. Im guessing it compares some data in the file or the filename.

As far as tracking virus creators goes...I think that is a matter in the virus creator's hands. It's just like regular crime...if you are sloppy then you get caught. For example, if they can find out the creator's e-mail or webpage then they can get them. Let's say they get their e-mail address however it's not an address from the ISP, they can still send em' an e-mail without letting the person know that they are the FBI. If the person responds then the FBI can easily get their IP from the message headers, then resolve the hostname to find out the ISP, contact the ISP and get their details. The ISP definately has their name, address, telephone, etc.