c'mon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3244263.stm
let me know yeah! :D
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c'mon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3244263.stm
let me know yeah! :D
"... Anti-virus fight gets cash boost
A $5m reward fund has been set up by Microsoft to help track down people who unleash damaging computer viruses The first rewards on offer will give payments of $250,000 to anyone with information about the creators of the MSBlast or Sobig viruses. Both these viruses struck earlier this year and wrought havoc on home and business internet users. The fund is backed by the FBI, US Secret Service and Interpol who will act on any leads the rewards generate.
Dead end
Microsoft has set up the Anti-Virus Reward Program in an attempt to improve the arrest records of law enforcement agencies charged with tracking down virus writers. Despite the fact that there are thousands of viruses in circulation, a small fraction of those that write them have been caught, arrested and convicted.
Microsoft hopes that the offer of cash will loosen the lips of anyone with information. One American youth has been charged in connection with a variant of the MSBlast worm but the originator of that malicious program has yet to be found.
The Sobig 'F' variant was one of the most successful viruses ever
The MSBlast worm struck in late summer and was designed to recruit PCs to launch an attack on Microsoft's Windows Update site. The authors of the Sobig virus are also being sought. That program is currently in its sixth incarnation and is thought to be the work of a guerrilla spamming outfit that plans to use it to spread their unwanted e-mail messages. The 'F' version of Sobig, which struck in August, was one of the fastest spreading viruses ever. Mail filtering firm MessageLabs stopped more than 1m copies of Sobig F when the virus was at its most ubiquitous.
Microsoft said that the cash rewards will be available to people from any country because everyone has suffered as viruses like these have spread. "Malicious worms and viruses are criminal attacks on everyone who uses the internet," said Microsoft spokesman Brad Smith. Those who release viruses on the internet are the saboteurs of cyberspace," he said, "and Microsoft wants to help the authorities catch them." Anyone with information about the writers of damaging viruses is urged to get in touch with the law enforcement agencies backing the reward program. The cash will only be handed over if the information provided results in someone being arrested and convicted for creating the viruses.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...gy/3244263.stm
Published: 2003/11/05 16:11:37 GMT
© BBC MMIII ..."
Yeah, sorry, but I do not know them, if I would know them and I
already would have been informing Microsoft probably, cause 5million
is not too bad... But if the programmer was nice person I probably would not
inform, no I do not know, what I would do...
...on the one side 5million is not few money...
it depends... normally not, but... not.
~nice dreams...
seems like ms is gettin desperate !
Think about it a little, we all hate the people who create worms and viruses - they are interfering with our access to and enjoyment of the net.
However, once they bring these assholes under control they'll have this whole apparatus set up specifically to catch and prosecute people who do things on the net that "they" consider wrong. It won't be left idle, these things never are, so it will start looking around for new targets.
Who do you think that they'll choose?
In my opinion;
The makers of cracks and keygens,
Followed by the makers of programs whose main purpose is to distribute material of questionable ownership (Bittorrent, Kazaa, etc.),
Followed by you and me.
I know that there will be hurdles in their way but does anyone think that I'm wrong in principle?
and you can go to hellQuote:
Originally posted by j0e@5 November 2003 - 23:17
c'mon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3244263.stm
let me know yeah! :D
u greedy shit
we abide by the code, my lips are sealed
no amount of money can make me release any info whatsoever.
the code lives...
and you can go to hellQuote:
Originally posted by james_bond_rulez+7 November 2003 - 04:38--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (james_bond_rulez @ 7 November 2003 - 04:38)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-j0e@5 November 2003 - 23:17
c'mon
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3244263.stm
let me know yeah! :D
u greedy shit
we abide by the code, my lips are sealed
no amount of money can make me release any info whatsoever.
the code lives... [/b][/quote]
I'd personally turn in the makers of MSBlaster or Sobig viruses... even to Microsoft... because they give the rest of us 'reverse-engineers' (ie: good guy hackers) a bad name.
If they are caught THAT way instead of huge digital 'dragnets' online, then it'll be less likely that we are soon snagged up in a similar 'dragnet' with more questionable intents behind its purpose...