"If we want technology to liberate rather than destroy us, then we - the techno/peasants - have to assume responsibility for it." The Techno/Peasant Survival Manual Today's society is moving more and more towards a technology based civilization. We depend on computers for even the simplest of tasks. Losses of information can be tragic, not to mention devastating. While computer systems are becoming more advanced, computer viruses are also becoming more sophisticated. Anti-virus software has a niche in the technology market, based on claims that it can find and eradicate viruses on a computer system. The industry bases itself on society's intense fear of viruses and sets themselves as a necessary element in the software market. The need for anti-virus software is created by the media hype of virus damage. In 1988, the Mirriam-Webster dictionary called 'computer virus' its word of the year. A computer virus is a program that replicates. The program's code contains a set of instructions that are executed by the computer when an infected program is accessed. The virus must also spread itself, whether by propagation through an email client, through a chat program such as IRC (Internet Relay Chat) or by simply copying itself to another file. Viruses are parasites. They might not cause harm, they just have to spread. (Kane:3-4) Anti-virus software is a bigger business than writing viruses. Most anti-virus programs scan files looking for viruses. They refer to a database which keeps "fingerprints" of known bits of virus code. If the virus and file codes match, they alert the user to a potential viral infection. Most are able to disinfect the file by removing the virus' code. However, an anti-virus program is only as good as its updates. There is a strong business in viral software updates. (Schneider 154:155) "You can't trust your best friend's software any more than you can trust his or her bodily fluids - safe software or no software at all!" Andrew Ross One of the greatest fears today is catching a computer virus. With the transmission of information, it's no wonder that Dennis Miller, from Saturday Night Live, remarked "Remember, when you connect with another computer, you're connecting to every computer that computer has ever connected to" (Ross). During the Michelangelo panic in 1992, AP writer Laura Myers wrote "Do you know where that floppy disk has been? Taking a page from safe sex manuals, experts are warning computer users to practice safe computing" (Kane:205). Anti-virus software play on the media's hype and people's fear for publicity. The US National Computer Security Association (NCSA) estimated that in 1996 the costs of viruses to US companies and organizations was between $2 billion and $3 billion, up from approximately $1 billion in 1995 (Shimpton and Bissett:900). The fear was very real with the Michelangelo virus. Michelangelo, which debuted in 1992, was arguably the first large-scale virus infestation to computers. "This is one of the most widespread viruses. It's out there in a large way and could cause lots of damage if it isn't stopped," claimed John McAfee (Kane:206). McAfee is a self-stylized virus guru who actively uses the media to promote his own products. It has been argued that he used the hype surrounding the Michelangelo virus to further his own gains in the anti-virus software world. He claimed that anywhere from 50,000 to 5 million computers were infected with the virus. "When stories about the virus reached the popular press, the hype was truly unleashed. Reporters and newsgroups sprouted previously unknown "experts" on the virus, spreading even more misinformation" (Gordon, Ford and Wells). McAfee gave away free copies of his version of an anti-virus software to show awareness for the problem. With more and more users using his product, his name developed into that of a industry expert (Kane:201). On March 2, four days before the Michelangelo virus was to strike, he went on the Today Show and announced "There are over a million systems infected now" (Kane:204). He also told AP that "This is one of the most widespread viruses. It's out there in a big way and could cause lots of damage it if isn't stopped" (Kane:206). Symantic, makers of Norton Utilities, scored a publicity coup with the publishing of a full page ad advertising free virus-removal software. "Representatives from antivirus firms -- some of them employed in marketing departments - called Michelangelo a 'very serious threat'" (Rosenburger). While other anti-virus software makers profited from the hype, McAfee was the real winner. In an AP report, Bart Ziegler wrote "The reports often failed to mention that many projections of potential damage were provided by companies that make anti-viral software and stood to benefit from the scare. One source was John McAfee of McAfee Associates, the largest seller of virus-killing programs. McAfee was widely quoted as saying Michelangelo had infected up to 5 million computers worldwide. Asked Friday whether he had overstated his case, he said the low rate of actual Michelangelo damage was due partly to precautions so many PC users took" (Kane:208). In the end, there is no conclusive report as to how many computers were really infected. 500 computers were shipped from a warehouse carrying the virus. However, it was not the data disaster is was expected to be. IBM claimed it erased data on only two of its 250,000 computers around the world (Kane:209). One must decide who is to blame for the hype and let-down. Is it the media or the software makers who are responsible for the consequences? The media are always anxious for a hot new story. Viruses are exciting to the public. Images of viruses stealthily creeping into a personal area are very seductive. "It was an amazing display of media power", says Robert Rosenburger, an expert on virus hoaxes. "'The anti-virus companies have to take some of the blame,' he said, 'But the main responsibility for the scare falls on the media'" (Lemos) Jon Callas, a security specialist, doesn't agree with Rosenberger's claim that the anti-virus industry is driven by hysteria. He says many users suffer from acute computer hypochondria - the belief that their computer has contracted every virus out there. Rosenburger, on the other hand, maintains the website "http://www.vmyths.com". He publicly ridicules corporations, the media and vendors for their stances on computer viruses whenever he can. According to him, there are plenty of opportunities. "'This is not a labour of love, so let's call it a labour of anger,' he says" (Sibley). Vmyths.com serves a purpose because "while there is a real threat from viruses, it often isn't as bad as what some people would like it to be. And it isn't just the anti-virus industry - it's that these scares make good stories" (Sibley). AP was the first newspaper to critique the motives of anti-virus software. On March 20, 1992, Larry Blasko wrote "Snake oil salesmen aren't dead. They've just reprogrammed their pitch. If you believe what you saw in the media in early March, the computerized world was going to end on March 6 when the computer virus Michelangelo would destroy data on disk drives from Kalamazoo to Katmandu. All was domed on the 517th anniversary of the artist's birth. But wait. Maybe you were one of the lucky people who owned or could buy virus protection software. Which, by great coincidence, just happened to be on sale..." (Kane:209-210). Anti-virus software companies are not immune to their own social agendas. The media is a powerful tool in today's society. Technogeeks often keep up with the latest trends in software and programming by reading the latest industry publications. Rating software is very popular and is often prominently featured. In 1993, PC Magazine, a Ziff-Davis publication, rated Cental Point Software and Norton/Symantic as the industry's best products. However, the criteria was based on the largest advertisers. Central Point Software and Norton/Symantic were two of PC Magazine's biggest advertising clients. Their sales swelled with the "Editors' Choice" award for best anti-virus software (Kane:213). Anti-virus companies are concerned with preserving their good images. This may not be in the public's best interest. Good viruses are written by talented computer programmers. Although they may be written for a joke or to test their programming skills, the damage that they cause is very real. Virus writers can work on behalf of the software companies, helping to come up with better and sharper methods of detection. However, with so many different software companies competing for the number one spot in the security sector, they may compromise morals. Says one former virus writer: "In the end, the one standing reason for them not to hire me that I really couldn't reject was that if any one company hired me, all the others would sick their marketing droids on them 'exposing' the fact that I once wrote viruses, generating public relations problems for my new employer" (Coderz). Anti-virus software is necessary as a general rule. New viruses are being written every day, while old ones continue to make their rounds. However, the companies must be honest with the people. Common sense should prevail over hysteria. The software companies should concentrate on identifying real threats, while the media should be honest with the public over the nature of the virus scares. Bibliography 1) Gordon, Sarah; Ford, Richard; Wells, Joe. 1997. "Hoaxes and Hype" http://www.research.ibm.com/antivirus/SciPapers/Gordon/HH.html Retrieved December 4, 2001 2) Kane, Patricia. 1994. PC Security and Virus Protection Handbook. (New York: M&T Books) 3) Lemos, Robert. March 5, 1998. "Michelangelo Virus - Is it Overhyped or a Real Threat?" http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/zdnn/0305/291988.html Retrieved December 2, 2001 4) Rosenburger, Robert. "Vmyths.com - Truth About Computer Virus Myths and Hoaxes" http://www.vmyths.com/fas/fas_inc/inc1.cfm Retrived December 2, 2001 5) Ross, Andrew. 1990. "Hacking Away at the Counterculture" http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/postmodern_culture/v001/1.1ross.html Retrieved December 1, 2001 6) Schneider, Bruce. 2000. Secrets and Lies. (New York: John Wiley and Sons) 7) Sibley, Kathleen. October 27, 2000. "Virus Critic Shooting the Messengers" Computing Canada. Vol 26, issue 22, pg 20 http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/postmodern_culture/v001/1.1ross.html Retrieved December 2, 2001 8) Shrimpton, Geraldine; Bissett, Andy. 2000. "Some Human Dimensions of Computer Virus Creation and Infection" Int. J. Human-Computer Studies http://www.idealibrary.com Retrieved December 1, 2001 9)T-2000. 2000. "Interview with Stormbringer" https://www.coderz.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know people usually don't give greets for stuff like this, but everyone likes to see their name in print, so here goes: 2f: "I've been missing your strawberry kisses!" jtf PS- Starac (and Gigi) rule! And Java sucks. FORTRAN FOREVER! 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