Virus War?

[Brian Turner]

Seems like the virus writers are challenging one another in their source code. Or is it an elaborate hoax? Fascinating stuff!

War of the worms escalates

Messages buried in the code of three current computer worms may be evidence of a simmering feud between rival worm writers each determined to infect as many PCs as possible.

But experts note that the messages could just as easily be a smokescreen designed to throw the authorities off the scent.

The three most recent variants of the Netsky worm are designed to remove two rival worms, Bagle and MyDoom, from infected computers.

The latest version of the Bagle worm, known as Bagle J, contains abusive messages aimed at the author of Netsky. Bagle J contains the missive: Hey, NetSky, [expletives removed], don't ruine our business (sic), wanna start a war?

And analysis carried out by the Finnish anti-virus company F-Secure also suggests that the latest version of MyDoom, known as MyDoom H, is not only immune to removal by Netsky, but also contains a challenge to meet with the creator of Bagle.

"It contains encrypted Global Positioning System coordinates," says Mikko Hypponen, director of anti-virus research at F-Secure.


More: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994744

[becki]

I like the idea of virus and counter virus being released. There's something romantic in it all with good versus evil playing out on the internet.