anti-virus software

[jeex]

do you think the anti-virus companies ever secretly create viruses and then release them with the hopes they'll become widespread? because if they were to become widespread, that means media attention, average america (biggest consumer) see's this, decided they need anti-virus software or need to buy an updated anti-virus software package.. what better way to make money? everyone has the disease, you've got the cure, they have the money, and it will soon be yours.. i guess you could say the same thing about AIDS and the pharmecutical/medical industry..

[WizyWyg]

do you think the anti-virus companies ever secretly create viruses and then release them with the hopes they'll become widespread? because if they were to become widespread, that means media attention, average america (biggest consumer) see's this, decided they need anti-virus software or need to buy an updated anti-virus software package.. what better way to make money? everyone has the disease, you've got the cure, they have the money, and it will soon be yours.. i guess you could say the same thing about AIDS and the pharmecutical/medical industry..

Why? unlike Aids where the medicine needs to be paid for, there are sites that offer FREE virus protection software. These virus protection software companies, dont make money off of us the lowly consumer, their money comes from the Comp manufacturers (ie Compaq, HP, Dell, etc) because they pay to include their software on their new computers and from the Corporate accts (ie business that are running their own servers). They loose money for every copy of a anti-virus software is sold. Its a loss leader.

[devinemi83]

I doubt it. I dont think the guys at symantec or mcafee would say "hey guys business is slow, make some". Could someone there be it alone,yes. Any programmer can make a virus. Making a virus is much easier than making a legit program. When building a legit program you ask yourself, "will my program pose any risk to the users machine,IE- will it mess up their registry,system files,disks etc. When making a virus you HOPE all those things will happen. Very few virus writers are master programmers. Most are just script kiddies that use others work that they don even understand.

[WizyWyg]

I doubt it. I dont think the guys at symantec or mcafee would say "hey guys business is slow, make some". Could someone there be it alone,yes. Any programmer can make a virus. Making a virus is much easier than making a legit program. When building a legit program you ask yourself, "will my program pose any risk to the users machine,IE- will it mess up their registry,system files,disks etc. When making a virus you HOPE all those things will happen. Very few virus writers are master programmers. Most are just script kiddies that use others work that they don even understand.

That is called conspiracy. And illegal in many countries.

Why would there be free sites out there if its all that they are doing. There wouldn't be places on the net that offer free anti-virus protection. This alone defeats your theory. If its all a conspiracy between anti-virus makers, there wouldn't be free sites to download anti-virus software or sites that offer free checkups through the web. They wont exist.



Making a virus IS not that easy. Virus have to exploit a flaw in a program or OS, and then use that flaw to propogate and pass on to other users. YOU have to find that exploit first. There will alwasy be an exploit. Nothing is made perfectly, hence virus authors will spend many a time to find new exploits. God, even LINUX had a major bug that would render a server USELES, and wiped out due to a virus, the first time anyone heard of one for the OS. So not everything is protected.

Virus are the bane of the net, something we have to live with. The anti-virus softare companies have nothing to gain from it. They make their money from corporations, not joe schmoe.

[jexster]

Actually making a virus would be easier than ever right now i saw a pdf online that tells you how to make some exact directions.And as far as this being a conspiracy it could be a possibility but i doubt it the reasons being is that most people want a good quality virus protectipon program so they know people will pay out the cash becuse alot of free ones are no name companies.I mean which would you choose personally i have norton.And this would boost there income becuse maybe not everyone but quite a few would run out to get the latest best product and you only have a few choices there for a good anti virus program.

[devinemi83]

Im not saying any conspiracy is going on. I dont think the antivirus guys are doing it at all.

And there are toolkits that would even allow your grandma to write a virus while making dinner. Like the VBS Worm Generator. And like 20 other packages. The only viruses that I have seen that seem to be well writen are Nimda and Code Red. The others are just mods of canned scripts.

There are no toolits to build office apps, operating systems,utilities, those you have to figure out on your own, a virus, yeah you could program them from the core and really write your own, but most viruses that come out are just renamed slightly modded versions of older ones.