Virus writers get greedy
2005-09-08 09:17
London - Writers of computer viruses are increasingly after money instead of notoriety.
Security experts have come to the realisation after the arrest of two men suspected of creating the so-called Zotob virus, according to BBC News.
"We used to be fighting kids and teenagers writing viruses just for kicks," one expert told the BBC.
But the Zotob authors apparently hoped to reap financial rewards.
Among other things, the virus was intended to lower security barriers to pop-up advertisements, enabling the authors to get paid for each click.
But despite the changing motivations of virus writers, about half of all new viruses still contain the names of the hackers behind them, experts say.
- Dow Jones