Do Virus Writers Deserve Jailtime?
from the not-quite-the-argument... dept
An interesting "devil's advocate" piece is trying to question whether or not virus writer's deserve jailtime, but sort of wanders off, and focuses the discussion on the fact that the computer networks we've designed basically invite viruses. In other words, the suggestion is that, rather than punishing virus writers, we should be focusing our efforts on building networks that aren't quite as susceptible to virus attacks. It's a nice thought, but it's not clear how fixing networks and punishing virus writers are mutually exclusive ideas. They can certainly happen in tandem. Of course, whether or not that punishment should involve being sent to jail is an entirely different question.
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Of course vandals like these should have some kind of
punishment.
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Bad argument
This is, at a basis, a very bad argument. This would be similar to suggesting that because cars have poor deterrents to theft, those that take them should not be punished, but the manufacturers of the automobiles should be held accountable for more secure systems.
Pffffttt.
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Re: Bad argument
Er, yeah. That's exactly the point I tried to make in the post. I guess I wasn't clear enough. It's pointless to suggest that the two things are mutually exclusive, and you can't punish criminals while making a system more secure at the same time.
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Seriously??
How can someone argue that because a door can be unlocked you shouldn't prosecute the thief but should rather build a better lock?? Is the writer of the article from Berkley, CA??
To more directly address the issue, "Yes, virus writers should be susceptiple to jailtime. The amount of jailtime based on the amount of damage inflicted and the amount of compensatory damages they are unable to provide in restitution. Seeing as most viruses now cause millions in damage and lost productivity it seems to reason most virus writers can not pay restitution for the actual damage they cause so jailtime seems the only way to keep them from doing it again."
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No Jail Time for the virus writers!
There's a line between
(1) writing a virus, posting it on usenet and telling the world about it in any imaginable way
and (2) delivering a binary, infecting someone, distributing the toxin and reveling in the destruction or profiting from a botnet.
The writer/author/inventor has to be protected by any means possible however low or loathsome you/i/we think him. That is just common sense!
Its the violator posting the binaries, preparing the emails, waging unprovoked war and his associated that commit the crimes and who deserve the wrath.
If of course the writer also releases you might increase the penalty, but that far different from outlawing independent unpopular thought!
"Die Gedanken sind Frei"
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Re: No Jail Time for the virus writers!
While I generally agree that the person who distributes the virus (intentionally) should be held accountable, that last comment is ridiculous.
A virus is not a "thought" or "speech". While some viruses have included political comments, they are nothing more than delivery mechanisms, no more deserving of protected status than cardboard used to make signs.
A more compelling argument would be that viruses are like many other dangerous things -- useful in some ways (even if only for research). Some viruses could even do useful tasks (like the ones that have tried to undo other malware). Even using these arguments, though, viruses are dangerous enough that they should be regulated (just like other dangerous things like guns, alcohol, tobacco, drugs and so on) and their creators should have to take precautions on how they are distributed.
Of course, maybe you also believe spam is free speech and should therefore be protected....
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Re: No Jail Time for the virus writers!
I disagree. If you write a virus and are aware of its potential for damage you are liable. Once you have made the code known to someone else, or made it public you are definitely liable.
If you have noble intentions the only person the vulnerabilities need to be made to is the software manufacturer the virus is meant to exploit and let them correct their software.
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And dark city streets encourage theft, murder
Most of the world's cities contain streets that encourage crime, but remaking the streets is not the answer. I've been in cities where you feel safe at midnight when there's hardly anyone around. Honest people, and a poplulation that as not desperately poor, helps to make the streets safe.
I'd like to see the virus-builders bankrupt and in jail.
- The Precision Blogger
http://precision-blogging.blogspot.com
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Are you kidding? Virus writers deserve to DIE!!!
But we should torture them first; take their CPU's and fuck them up the asses with them, & leave the CPU's in their asses, then shoot them several times and slice off their heads & leave them there...naw, that's too good for those malicious little hacker dweeb geeks!!!!
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clear enough?
have you ever try to think that, when there are no virus, no hacker... So, do u still need to pay for those highly priced "firewalls" or "anti-virus" softwares?
does litterer should be fined at a higher price??
would you LIKE TO lock your wife at house to make sure she will not have fun with other guys???
DO U FEEL ANGRY, WHEN U KNOW SOME BODY IS WORKING HARD, Just To Harm Your Property?????????? (well, this applys to those working as programmer or CG creator.)
CLear Enough?????
F U C K V I R U S W R I T E R !!!
they are scums of nowaday's society!!!
J U S T L I K E T E R R O R I S T !!!
fuck you virus!!
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Virus writers have no friends. They are faceless pussies that hide behind a PC somewhere jerking off about children. Thats right, every virus writer is a pedephile child molester. It has been proven over and over. virus writers should be put in prison for molesting children, they are the lowest form of life. Only britney spears is lower on the scale
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