18.7.1. "What's the connection between Cypherpunks and viruses?"
- Like, dewd, it's so kool.
- Beavis 'n Butthead use PGP (actually, Eric Hughes proposed
at one point that we suggest a crypto tie-in to the
writers)
- There's only peripheral connection.
- Viruses can be spread with anonymous remailers, but digital
signatures can be used to safeguard software. Signed
software, no mods allowed.
18.7.2. "What about the "encryption viruses," like KOH?"
- (A little far afield, but the issue does come up.)
- Somebody asked about this on sci.crypt and Vesselin
Bontchev said: "This topic has been debated to death in
alt.security.pgp, when somebody posted KOH, without even a
warning that it is a virus.....Both viruses indeed use the
IDEA cipher - the same that is used both by SecureDevice
and SecureDrive. However, the viruses pose some significant
threats to the integrity of your data, exactly because of
their viral replication means.....Also, if you aquire it by
viral means, you do not get the doumentation and one
utility, both of which are essential for the proper usage
of the product - thus proving one more time that its viral
capabilities are unnecessary and harmful. Also, the virus
does not come in source, which means that it could have
some hidden backdoors or simply security flaws, and you
have no way to check this or to fix them. At last, in some
cases the virus could destroy valuable information during
its replication process."
- "In short - don't use them. You will gain nothing over
using
stand-alone encryption programs, and you'll expose your
data's
integrity to significant risks. Those viruses are
completely useless
and even harmful; they have been created with the only
reason to
condone the illicit activities of the virus writers, by
claiming that
computer viruses can be "useful"." [Vesselin Bontchev,
sci.crypt, 1994-08-31]
18.7.3. "What about viruses? Are there any ties to crypto and
Cypherpunks themes?"
- No direct link that any of us see clearly. Occasionally a
virus fan sees the "punks" name and thinks we're involved
in writing viruses. (Actually, a few folks on the list have
virus expertise.)
- Crypto may protect against viruses, by having code signed.
And the reliance on self-responsibility and self-protection
is in contrast to the legal approach, which tends not to
work too well for virus protection (by the covert nature of
many viruses).
18.7.4. "What interests do Cypherpunks have in viruses?"
- Not much, though the topic comes up periodically.
- Some overlap in the communities involved.
- And there are some virus methods which use forms of
encryption.
- Also, digital signatures on code can be used to ensure that
code has not been modified since being released by the
original author.
By Tim May, see README
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