Why do hackers create computer viruses? Is there a conspiracy behind it?

Originally posted by WWu777
Why do hackers create computer viruses constantly as though it were some kind of business to them? What's the gain or motive? What's in it for them? It makes no sense.

Why don't they put their skills into creating something to sell to make money, or working as a computer programmer or software engineer and getting paid?

Is there any conspiracy behind this? Why can't law enforcement just stop the problem for good and arrest all the perpetrators?

You might want to be asking yourself instead why virus are infesting the most commercially profitable and widely used OS. But not Linux and Unix based OS which happens to be the OS of choice for hackers and inconveniently open-source and completely free...

Originally posted by Hellhound604

Originally posted by ShadeWolf
reply to post by Militarywarfare

 

Not entirely true. Viruses are usually made by script kiddies "for the lulz." Usually they've got all the precision of a club, and are designed to essentially extort money out of stupid people. This kind of thing really doesn't take any skill. Now, actual hackers, the kind of people who access government databases to prove they can? They'd never touch this basic stuff.

You took the words right out of my mouth, it always freaks me out when I hear about some "hackers", and all they are are some script-kiddies, that can't even write software, let alone grokking the deeper layers of computers ...

As for the so-called "Darknet", nothing mysterious about it. It mainly is just a bunch of computers on the internet that didn't register their own domain spaces, so you can only access it via their direct IP adresses...

correction, now I myself fell into the trap of calling a script-kiddy a hacker.

a hacker is just a person that groks the hardware and the software of whatever system.

edit on 19/1/2012 by Hellhound604 because: ouch ... called a script-kiddy a hacker .... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No to be anal but just for precision sakes "script kiddies" doesn't have sufficient programming capabilities to make their own tools/virus thus they are forced to use that of others... hence why "script" kiddie.

Originally posted by EarthCitizen07
reply to post by JBA2848

 

The government can cripple the best hacker in seconds if they want to. Project Echelon! It is not really government, it is more "the illuminati" if you know what I mean.

I do remember some insider stating how easy and covertly they could do it right here on ats years ago.

Don't ask for details cause you had to be a geek with 200 iq to understand!

Ah! You think

I'm not sure if this has been stated already or not, but...

One of the largest uses of viruses today is to control thousands of computers in a botnet. Criminals can utilize these systems then to blackmail companies with "Either give X amount of money or your customers will never be able to access your website again".

Originally posted by diddy1234
probably because they are paid by the anti-virus companies to make them in the first place.

This is not as stupid as it initially sounds.

Why is it that the antivirus companies can figure out a virus very quickly and issue updates so quickly ?

Agree xD star for you, more virus they make bigger reason for having a anti-virus.. awesome scam

From my experience as a security analyst, I can tell you that lots of malware, spyware, trojan and viruses are not detected by your popular antivirus. My team has to send sample to mcafee, symantec, and other antivirus for analysis and then adding it to their database. over 95% of the infection we catch are by custom signature that WE create. That's why I will never buy any antivirus (that and because i'm using linux which is probably the safest out there). So I partly agree with the OP that antivirus create some virus out there for obvious reason...no virus, no need for antivirus ? but i really believe there is no conspiracy here.

Building malware and malicious code is becoming a big market. You now have people that sell licences to access their botnet in order to do your # (like stealing info, performing DDoS).

Everybody is involved in this.

You have government allegedly spying on their citizens, or creating weapons using extremely advanced code, researchers doing looking for vulnerabilities in major protocols, script kiddies modifying existing code just for fun, or groups like anonymous that want to cause disruptions.

Thinking on a more metaphorical level, I think viruses represent our everyday world. If you look at the world wide web it represents global brain which deals in information. Websites are like individual neurons.

It's no secret that viruses pop up mostly in porn sites (and celeb pics which is kind of funny in a way) and p2p downloading. Similar to how if you have sex with multiple partners you will most likely get in infected with an STD. If you are caught stealing something that isn't yours, you can get punished. Companies like Norton and Mcafee are like condoms, in that most likely you are protected but there is still a chance you will get infected. I know it sounds real simplistic and sorry for not articulating it well, but I honestly believe that it reflects the world in a lot of ways.

You write code because you can.

A virus is almost like a living thing, and you are the creator, you are its god.

I think it might be a control thingy .. having full control over others.

Others may do it for profit, I know a couple script kiddies who got millions in cash by programming dialers in the 90ies when people still used to connect through a phone line.

Btw I don't doubt for a second that AV companies do write their own viruses, just so that they can raise their fingers and warn you about the malware threats out there. Of course you're not safe until you buy their product.

Originally posted by WWu777
Why do hackers create computer viruses constantly as though it were some kind of business to them?

Check out the Wiklileaks SPY release of last year.
There are professional companies all around the world creating Trojans and other viruses for all kinds of Horrible purposes. They are BIG, BIG business.
Of course what better disinfo than for Governments and Corporations to blame the creation and release of modern Viruses on "Hackers."

PEACE,
RK

reply to post by WWu777


Why does the CIA and FBI recruit hackers to work for them?

I believe most people make viruses just because they can. And because they are A-holes.

A nice person might hone there skills making a text editor, while someone with issues and flimsy morals would write a virus.

But in all honesty, i thaught the other day, couldnt they have ever made a virus that actually destroys the internet and every pc connected? probably, but they dont. So they probably dont want to actually do as much harm as they do, for the most part.

I mean you will get the odd virus going to Disney.com but your most likley to get them visiting sites you probably shouldnt have.

That being said, i have the utmost confidence that if SOPA and PIPA are passed, that they will write viruses with the sole purpose of ruining the internet for good.

I would think hackers which create the malware solely to invade and damage the computers of others for the kick or fun of it are in the minority. And those that do are no doubt quickly snatched up by anti-virus companies, to start engineering the virus that their commercial software will protect your system from...

Originally posted by WWu777
Why do hackers create computer viruses constantly as though it were some kind of business to them? What's the gain or motive? What's in it for them? It makes no sense.

Why don't they put their skills into creating something to sell to make money, or working as a computer programmer or software engineer and getting paid?

Is there any conspiracy behind this? Why can't law enforcement just stop the problem for good and arrest all the perpetrators?

Criminals create malwares, trojans and viruses, hackers do what they do to learn, to understand.

I am a hacker.

But does that make me a criminal? HELL NO! That's because half the people ranting on here don't have a clue what a real hacker is, just look it up for yourself.

www.foreworks.com...

I am a PC programmer of 25+ years. Decades ago, I created a "virus" simply to see if I could. Nothing special...all it did was copy itself to other files, etc. It was never "released", nor did I ever have the intent to do so. It was just something I was interested in trying. But I did have it in my hands.

With that understood, I believe that many programmers become intimate with their coding. Their efforts almost become a "child"...something you have labored upon, created and raised. I can see the temptation of releasing such an effort to see how well it fares in the wild of the internet. But I would guess that is 10% or less of the viruses out there.

The ones you see today are all about either damage or blackmail. The blackmail ones are simple. They want money. The damage ones are pissed off people taking revenge on the industry (which has turned to crap) and the management and owners of said industry. I would estimate these represent about 60% of all viruses.

So...we are left with 30%. As was said earlier...follow the money. Who stands to benefit from the fear, the worry and the damage other than anti-virus/anti-malware companies? Now, I wouldn't say that the companies purposely hire people to write viruses, but I'm sure they don't mind people creating them. I would compare the threat to that of the pharmaceutical industry. Why cure the disease when you can profit from relieving the symptoms? My guess is that some people with an interest in these companies or stock in these businesses might go to the extent of such actions. I mean...if you could make your stock holdings go up %50 with little chance of getting caught...would you?

The ONLY anti-virus company that I believe is completely free of blame is Microsoft and their Security Essentials software. First...it is FREE. Second...its existence makes the company's main product (Windows & Office) better and safer.

So...for what its worth...that is my opinion.

Originally posted by diddy1234
probably because they are paid by the anti-virus companies to make them in the first place.

This is not as stupid as it initially sounds.

Why is it that the antivirus companies can figure out a virus very quickly and issue updates so quickly ?

Exactly. Another SCAM. Thats all people do these days, is SCAM one onother. Just like T CEE F. Who charges you 28 dollars a day if you accidently go over your card. DO the math. If you get paid every 2 weeks. HMM. 28 times 14= QUITE THE SCAMMERS.

I was shocked one time to find myself on a hackers site, much to my releif he only explained why he did what he did, but it was not to be evil, it was more like a game.
It's how the whole thing works and it's kind of like how good a hacker you are is how good of a programmer you are.

To be a good hacker you have to be a good debugger to be good programmer.

So like you get mad because you were fired and you leave message with the other programers must debug.

Now if you start to talk about national security, if someone could hack your system your could have a really bad day.

The kid that hacked TRW because he had bad credit, bad grades, everyone get A+

Really guys? There JUST has to be a conspiracy?

Hacker does not equal programmer.
Hacker does not equal someone wanting to make money.

I know "Hackers" who make them for fun. I know people who make them for payback against one person, but it spreads far beyond that one individual. Some viruses are made to put some sort of ad ware, spyware on your machine, or ruined your box. To think that viruses still exists just so antivirus companies don't go out of business shows ignorance... of which is commonly seen on ATS these days.

Norton and everyone else can create solutions for viruses because.. guess what? Its called reverse engineering. And most viruses out there aren't that complicated, and once you find out how it works, is easy to stop.

*sigh* I don't even know what else to add. The thought that this thread is founded on is flawed.

Becouse they are sad little assholes with nothing better to do than sit in there parents basements geeking out

Originally posted by Santh
Really guys? There JUST has to be a conspiracy?

Hacker does not equal programmer.
Hacker does not equal someone wanting to make money.

I know "Hackers" who make them for fun. I know people who make them for payback against one person, but it spreads far beyond that one individual. Some viruses are made to put some sort of ad ware, spyware on your machine, or ruined your box. To think that viruses still exists just so antivirus companies don't go out of business shows ignorance... of which is commonly seen on ATS these days.

Norton and everyone else can create solutions for viruses because.. guess what? Its called reverse engineering. And most viruses out there aren't that complicated, and once you find out how it works, is easy to stop.

*sigh* I don't even know what else to add. The thought that this thread is founded on is flawed.

edit on 20-1-2012 by Santh because: (no reason given)

Sorry, you are either very young or living in a closet during these heady times, perhaps both.

There are script hacks that do it just because they found a loophole.

There are principal software engineers that do it for money, lots of money like you have no idea.
These types work for the government, for consulting agencies that in turn work for the anti-virus industry, or are independents that have connections into organized crime.

It's a fact, Jack. Take it to a bank ( oh, and they are in there as well.)

Its not hackers creating the viruses.
2nd
Now ask urself again who and why and what will they gain