Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!amdcad!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!nbires!isis!csm9a!japplega
From: japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Software Package Inoculates Disks Against Computer Viruses
Summary: Viruses - fact or Marketing Hype
Keywords: Center for Computer Disease Control
Message-ID: <737@csm9a.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jun 88 23:08:58 GMT
References: <2792@umd5.umd.edu>
Organization: Colorado School of Mines
Lines: 45

In article <2792@umd5.umd.edu>, cgs@umd5.umd.edu (Chris Sylvain) writes:
> 
> 	Sophco has also  initiated the Center   for Computer Disease  Control,
> which will act as a clearing house for information about such antisocial soft-
> ware.
>

A Local MSDOS Users Group hosted a panel discussion on Viruses and the
methods to protect against them... SOPHCO and the so called Disease Control
Center were asked to participate but declined...

I for one publically doubt the existance of the virus they claim to have
discovered since SEX.EXE can be found on several BBS's in a harmless,
though tasteless form!  When confronted on the phone their rep still refused
to participate in our discussion or to produce this virus in order to 
confirm it was anything other than a marketing ploy.

The panel consisted of several sysops, a security expert from Storage Tek,
a computer crime lawyer and a law professor.

Not one of these experts had ever found a bonified virus and only one
could claim to have found a trojan!  The general consensus was that while
viruses might exist their occurance was far more rare than the media 
hype would indicate!

It was also agreed that much of this hype is a result of advertizing from
companies claiming to have a solution to viruses... it was even proposed
that some of these viruses might originate with such companies.

Now we all know that companies which produce and market programs to protect
users against viruses and trojans are simply doing so for our benefit and
not to serve the almighty green god so....
Everyone should do their part to support the noble effort of this Center
for Computer Disease Control by placing a little black sticky "trojan"
write protect tab on every disk and keeping their green gods in their
wallet!

    Joe Applegate - Colorado School of Mines Computing Center
            {seismo, hplabs}!hao!isis!csm9a!japplega
                              or
 SYSOP @ M.O.M. AI BBS - (303) 273-3989 - 300/1200/2400 8-N-1 24 hrs.

       *** UNIX is a philosophy, not an operating system ***
 *** BUT it is a registered trademark of AT&T, so get off my back ***