Networker: Looking for love
In just a matter of hours the "love bug" computer virus swept across the world on May 4, causing a claimed $10 billion damage.
Computer users internationally received email messages declaring love. The user just had to open a document attached to the email to get the complete message. What an offer for millions of alienated computer-bound workers!
What would happen if the user opened the attachment was:
- A copy of the email would be sent to everyone in the user's email "address book", a list of possibly thousands of email addresses.
- Parts of certain files on the user's computer would be replaced by a copy of the virus.
- Internet access (browser) software would be modified to point to a web site. If the user downloaded software from this site, it would take important user information and send it to a location in the Philippines.
Nothing in this virus is new. It was more ambitious that the earlier "Melissa" virus, but its most destructive feature was similar. The total cost of the virus is more a reflection of the growing dependence on email and information technology systems in general than on the planned villainy of the virus creator.
The saga raises two questions: who writes viruses, and how did the entire world become so vulnerable to them?
The popular media is full of fictitious psychological profiles of computer "hackers".
A hacker in the traditional sense is simply a computer programmer who is willing to work continuously on a problem until they find an answer. It has nothing to do with viruses or illegal activity.
Without doubt there are programmers of greater or lesser skill who delight in humbling giant computer systems. But the issue at hand is "who benefits?"
Today the main beneficiaries of computer viruses are the leaders of the multi-billion dollar anti-virus industry. The more viruses emerge, the more money they make.
Just as glass repair companies sometimes get caught smashing windows to drum up business, so in future evidence will probably emerge of virus protection companies in collusion with virus writers.
The answer to the second question is a matter of broad agreement. For several reasons (including monopolistic practices) the great majority of personal computers and desktop computer networks today run a very small number of programs from Microsoft. The love bug virus only worked against Microsoft's email system.
Microsoft has rarely paid any attention to security in its core design philosophy. That is, Microsoft products may check that only authorised people can get into a particular system or program. But there is no attempt to limit the activity of users to guarantee the security of an overall system.
While Microsoft was one of a handful of competing software companies that was not so bad. But as Microsoft has closely integrated all of its various programs, and these have driven almost all competitors to the wall, the whole desktop computer environment has become vulnerable to both viruses and software faults.
This is one of the two reasons that the US state machinery is seriously trying to break up Microsoft's monopoly, even if it causes a temporary stock market crash. (The other reason is that US government bodies such as the Department of Defense do not want to be forced to rely on a single supplier for anything.)
For individuals the message is clear. Don't use Microsoft products if you have an alternative (which isn't that often). Always keep copies of your important files on disks stored separately from your computer. And never ever open an unexpected attachment to an email, even from someone you know.
BY GREG HARRIS