Viruses are programs (my favourite saying) which means they're written (programmed) by people. Often those people are kids, they have some technical know-how but ethically, well, they're kids.
Are they bad? Well, no, and technically there's nothing particularly wrong with programming viruses - I know, I know, that sounds ridiculous right? But viruses are just programs, who gets to say what programs are OK and what programs aren't. What's important is where the virus goes after it's made, if the virus writer keeps the virus to himself (which requires that he's competent enough not to accidently infect himself and let the infection spread of course) then there's no problem, he doesn't hurt anybody. He's just exploring the limits (and sometimes pushing those limits) of what he can do with something he may see as a theoretical security risk, a practical tool for comprimizing a system, an interesting bit of artificial life, or even on just an organic level an intriguing type of program that goes forth of it's own volition and travels to all kinds of systems (almost like a message in a bottle).
Often, though, virus writers do not keep their viruses to themselves. They aren't content with their accomplishments by themselves, they have to share with other virus writers, or even attempt to gauge their skill by how far their viruses can spread. They make the viruses available on a web page, a bbs, a virus magazine, or even through infected files that are placed where unsuspecting victems can get them. In fact, some people who don't even write viruses do this sort of thing and that's where the problem lies. People engaged in this sort of activity are referred to as being part of the Virus Exchange community (aka VX).
The responsible handling of viruses requires that only people whose motives and competence you trust be given access to any viruses you may have. Otherwise you leave the door open to accidental (if the person manages to infect their computer accidentally and spread the virus) or intentional (if the person's motives were not honourable or their policy was not as strict as describe here) computer virus outbreaks.
So what about these people? What do we do with them? Well, first lets recognise that we cannot force them to stop, often they don't actually break the law. North America specifically (and most other countries in general) like the concept of freedom of expression so virus web pages, bbses, and magazines aren't really something you can easily legislate against. And if you do try something to force one to stop, think of what it will do to the others - they're kids, and like other kids they're rebelious and they don't think too highly of authority figures.
So maybe we should sit in judgement of them, or be hypercritical of them, or insult them, etc. That isn't going to stop them either, that kind of confrontation only polarizes people, you'll just further convince them that you don't understand them and quite possibly that you're caught in the intellectual peons trap of 'conventional wisdom', unable to really think for yourself if at all.
We could try to ignore them, perhaps they'll go away. Does that sound like a good idea? Does anything go away if you ignore it? I didn't think so. We could tell them that what they're doing is wrong over and over again, but then we'd be broken records and the message would be lost in the repetition.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that people (all people) are greatly affected by the environment in which they're developing (and they're always developing, though not always at the same rate). I think the best thing to do is to be a positive part of that environment, to influence the way in which they develop. That means not looking down one's nose at them. That means treating them as though they were a part of one's own peer group. More often than not members of the VX community grow up and leave virus spreading behind, they're fully capable of moral and ethical growth and we're fully capable of helping them along.
And if I'm not totally off the mark here, I think the very first step is to stop thinking of them as 'them'.
last modified jan 18 1999 : this page hand crafted by kurt wismer