Taiwan Interviews +---------------+ Just after vlad#3 was released I interviewed the two Taiwanese virus authors I know, Dark Slayer and Slash Wu. I thought it would be interesting to hear what it was like from each of them and compare the results. It certainly is interesting to read them. There are a few discrepencies between the two but in general I'd say they don't hate each other too much :). Anyway, without further ado.. here's the interviews. Dark Slayer Interview +-------------------+ Meta: What made you choose the name Dark Slayer? Dark: After reading an article called 'Introducing Dark Avanger and Dark Angel' on magazine, I realize that I need a cool name like theirs. When I was thinking and listening the Slayer's CD ( a Metal Band ), suddently I found 'Slayer ' cool enough. That's why I called ' Dark Slayer '. Meta: Could you give us a short description of yourself? (age, hobbies, study/work etc) Dark: I am a 19 years old boy. I like swimming, playing basketball, listening Heavy Metal, playing Computer, reading novel and so on. I am a college student and my major course is electrical engineer. I live in dorm. Although I called 'Dark Slayer' but I never write any destructive virus. To me, writing virus is just for research and fun. Meta: How many years have you been coding ASM? Dark: About 3 years. Meta: Do you know any other languages? Dark: Yes! I can write C, Basic and 8048 micro-assembly. Meta: What have you written so far? Dark: I only wrote about 10-15 viruses so for. They are MacGyver ( 1.0a, 1.0b, 2.0, 2.2, 3.0, 4.0 ), Connie I/II, Ray Gong ( This is the only boot virus I wrote), New 512 ( or DS-512 ), Skid-Row ( version A, B, C; C version can infect files via directly HD I/O ), Assassin ( first version and BugFixed version) and two engine ( DSME v1.0, DSCE v1.0 ). The other virii for testing purpose are unnamed. Meta: What made you write these programs? (also what made you learn assembly?) Dark: The reason made me to write virus is: I love to fool others. I bought a book called 'Introduce to Assembly' and started to study it. Finally I wrote my first virus, an over-written virus. When I studied more and more technique, I was attracted in writing virus. Writing virus has so many tricks like polymorphic, hidden, compress/decompress and so on ( ex: DIR-2, 512, Phoenix... ) that I can't ask myself stop writing. Meta: How is the virus scene in Taiwan? Dark: In fact, virus writers in Taiwan are not so many than you though. We don't like you guys (espically guys in U.S.) have many free time for writing virus. We have thousands of homework to study. :( In Taiwan, AV writers are as many as virii writers, but most of their products like shit. Meta: Have you ever been involved in any groups? Dark: I had organized a group once. My group didn't have so many virus writer. This caused my group smaller and smaller. :( I am the only one in this group. Meta: Are there any virus laws in Taiwan? Dark: I'm not familier with law, but I heard there are some law about virus writing. By now, I haven't heard any one busted. Meta: Do you spread your own programs? Dark: I put my virus into some shareware/pd espically anti-virus program and then I upload the file to BBS. This will cause my virii spread soon. Most of my virii will infect one executable file when you are using it. Meta: Who is your favourite virus coder? Dark: I like Dark Avenger. When I began to study virus , he is my aim. Espically his Mutation Engine, it really cool. Meta: Do viruses travel fast in Taiwan? Dark: Viruses spread so soon 'cause Taiwan is a small island. :) Meta: Which anti-virus product do you think is the best? Dark: I think TBAV is so not bad although its holes are so many. Many people don't like it, but I think it really good. Meta: Are there any greets you want to give, or anything else you want to say? Dark: I don't like Slash Wu. ( He is a virus writer in Taiwan. ) This guy In fact, his stuff are not technique enough. You can say that GPE 1.0 is copied from DSME 1.0 . He always said how good his virii is and how suck my stuff is. Sometimes he act just like a AV writet and let you though he is a good guy. Greets to: Metabolis: Your VLAD is really cool. I like it and I'm looking forward to your windows virus!!! Priest: You always have so many cool idea, and I'll make DSCE better. Qark: I like your virii and I hope your virii will be better. Dark Angel: It's my pleasure to see you on irc. I like your DAME. Garbage Heap: It's so nice to chat with you on irc. 40hex is good sutff. King Dan: Thanks for your help on IRC. Lookout: Hi, camry wanted me to say hello to you. Right now he is busy on his master's exam. Dark Avenger: I would like to thank you for your cool idea - Mutation Engine. Nowhere Man: Although I haven't seen you, but I knew you for a long time. P/S group: I wish I could organize a group like yours. Your viruses are all cool. NuKe group: When the NuKe infoJournal 9 will be released? TPE group: I love your TPE :) and greets to all virus writer, Good Luck!!! Slash Wu Interview +----------------+ Meta: What made you choose the name Slash Wu? Slash: I love Heavy Metal, especially Guns N' Roses, and the guitarist Slash is my idol, so I choose "Slash" as my name, and "Wu" is my last name, I like it, that's all! Meta: Could you give us a short description of yourself? (age, hobbies, study/work etc) Slash: I was born on XX/XX/74 (a 20 year-old boy, single). I live in Taipei Taiwan. I love music, playing E-guitar, Asm, and pingpong, etc... I'm a 5-year junior college student (I think I'll attend the university, Bless Me!). Meta: How many years have you been coding ASM? Slash: I've been coding ASM since I was a 17 year-old boy. It's been about three years... Meta: Do you know any other languages? Slash: Yeah, I can also use C, C++, V-Basic, & so on... But ASSEMBLY is still my favorite. Meta: What have you written so far? Slash: 1. Computer Rubber v1.00, v1.01 ['92/9] 2. Super Virus - I (for research) ['93/x] 3. Guns N' Roses Polymorphic Engine v1.00 ['94/2], v2.00 ['94/5] 4. Phantasie Mutation Engine v1.00 (the latest product) ['95/1] Meta: What made you write these programs? (also what made you learn assembly?) Slash: I was attracted to virus since 1992. At that time, I realized that I must learn ASM first before I could understand virus. And so, I started to learn ASM. Later, I traced the first --- Black Friday. Then I took interest in MtE, and wrote GPE and the following PME... Meta: How is the virus scene in Taiwan? Slash: There are many new groups came out, but their experience is not enough... so their product is ...!@#$%... Yet, Dark Slayer is good. Meta: Have you ever been involved in any groups? Slash: Nope, I have never been involved in any groups, only myself. Meta: Are there any virus laws in Taiwan? Slash: Nope, I have never heard of such a specific legislation in Taiwan. Meta: Do you spread your own programs? Slash: Nope, I only do some research. Meta: Who is your favorite virus coder? Slash: If I have to name one, perhaps Dark Avenger is my favorite coder for he introduced the MtE theory. Meta: Do viruses travel fast in Taiwan? Slash: Not quite so, because once there emerges a virus, it would soon be sent to AVers for a resolution. Meta: Which anti-virus product do you think is the best? Slash: If I have to name one, perhaps ThunderByte B.V. Anti-Virus could be the best. Meta: Are there any greets you want to give, or anything else you want to say? Slash: First, I want to extend thanks to Metabolis for giving me the chance to introduce myself, I am glad to know him. further, I wish that the virus authors would not create any destructive virus. It's okay to do some research or experiment, but not to cause any damages... That's all! At last, Greetings to all virus programmers. Metabolis/VLAD