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Fight Virus With Virus?

Posted by Hemos on from the cleaning-up-the-mess dept.

Insanik writes "I am not an expert with internet worms like Code Red. However, I am curious if it would be possible to create a friendly worm/virus/whatever that would fight the original by using the same security holes. For instance, I read that Code Red II opens a back door. Why not have another virus that exploited the back door, closed it, then started sending itself to other servers for a certain period of time? " The submittor raises an interesting question - is this possible? I would guess so, in theory. And while we're working on Code Red, can we send a large man to the home of my latest Sircam senders and politely "ask" them to stop clicking on virii?

5 of 697 comments (clear)

  1. Why do favors? by brlewis · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Webmasters who chose IIS made their bed. Let them sleep in it.

    1. Re:Why do favors? by brlewis · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Seriously, do you have any data showing that Code Red does "bog down" traffic globally?

      There's never been a worm that exploited an Apache hole the way this IIS hole is being exploited. That's not flamebait; that's a fact.

      It's been years since any remote vulnerability has been discovered in Apache. That's not flamebait; that's a fact.

      Are you willing to make a new "nice guy" worm every time a new evil IIS worm comes out? If not, then you would only lull IIS admins into a false sense of security by fixing their problem for them this time. Let them deal with it; it's a valuable educational experience.

  2. REDUNDANT REDUNDANT REDUNDANT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    EVERYONE has been writing this. in EVERY stupid posting of CR. this submission is REDUNDANT

  3. Re:isnt it there own fault by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    If someone posts the code here, I will give it a shot, I have no problem unleashing such a virus. If it then F's up and takes down a bunch of win2k and NT machines....what is the problem with taking down a bunch of NT and win2k machines? I haven't figured that part of yet. :)

  4. Take it one step futher... by Overt+Coward · · Score: 2, Flamebait

    And after closing the hole, the counter-virus should stay resident and launch a counter-attack against anyone who tries to exploit the hole with anything other than the counter-virus.