Slashdot Mirror
Virus Cost Estimate For 2001 Tops $10 Billion
Snootch writes: "CNN has a story on the costs of virii - they're absolutely collossal, and remember that the $10 billion figure is just *so far this year*...scary. The article gives a pretty good breakdown by virus, and while it says little else that the average /. reader won't know by now, it's an interesting read all the same. To quote Red Dwarf's Kryten, 'Smug Mode,' but I note that every single one mentioned in the article, bar one (Code Red), was a client-side Outlook virus ..."
"My other thought was this: Considering that according to the article, nearly half the money was spent cleaning infected systems out, then the virus-checker industry, and therefore the implications of Symantec's recent patent, are even bigger than I realised ... *gulp*" Of course, estimates like these are often made by people with vested interests in the effect such numbers have, and there are a lot of costs that are very tough to estimate accurately -- like sysadmin time.
I have no pity for those deliberately making & sending out virii... I say if they're legal send the FBI to their door right away and if they're not, fine their parents heavily.
Now of course I haven't been hit with a virus this year, and even if I am, I always have my iBook with OS X on it to use while I clean out any of my infected systems, but I still have no pity for those sending out virii getting what's coming to em from the FBI!
I just want to say that this really boils down to MS Outlook's rediculous security model. I have been using Windows since Win95 and DOS before hand, I've NEVER installed a virus shield as I hate TSR's, and I've NEVER gotten one of these silly virus's. I've also NEVER installed Outlook on my machine. MS should be ashamed of itself, but at the same time, to say that Windows == Easy Virii Breading Ground is unfounded.
There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
I really doubt that this will happen in my lifetime. Of course, I'm dying of prostate cancer, so anything could happen soon.
I just heard some sad news on TV, apparently Slashdot website creator, Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda, was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after having his penis sliced off. Authorities say the accident involved Rob's penis, his computer, and an illegal computer device imported from China that was designed to stimulate the penis during cyber-sex. The authorities aren't releasing many details yet as to how it happened, but they suspect that the device malfunctioned which caused his penis to be sliced off. However, there is speculation among the Slashdot community that the Open Source Operating System "Linux" is to blame, for its faulty structure and lack of professional development. There is no word of whether there was any foul-play involved from hackers amongst the Linux community.