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A Conference For Malware Writers

Posted by Soulskill on from the who's-bringing-the-giant-hollow-horse dept.

tsu doh nimh writes "There is a security conference being held in Mumbai later this year called MalCon, and the organizers say it's the first ever conference dedicated to the 'malcoder community.' Brian Krebs interviewed one of them and got this gem: 'Just like the concept of "ethical hacking" has helped organizations to see that hackers are not all that bad, it is time to accept that "ethical malcoding" is required to research, identify and mitigate newer malwares in a "proactive" way.' Bruce Schneier is speaking at a sister MalCon event in Pune, India two days later, and he said he doesn't agree with the organizer's premise that more malware is needed to build better security tools."

21 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Ohh, can we? can we? can we? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can we nuke the site from orbit?

  2. All our rotten eggs in one basket... by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Take off and nuke the site from Orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

    1. Re:All our rotten eggs in one basket... by MarkRose · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That won't work. Malware is an ecological/economic niche, and someone(s) or something will fill it.

      --
      Be relentless!
    2. Re:All our rotten eggs in one basket... by kenrblan · · Score: 4, Funny

      That won't work. Malware is an ecological/economic niche, and someone(s) or something will fill it.

      Perhaps you are right, but nuking from orbit would be a significant deterrent. Besides, this could become an annual event. Having a contractor like Blackwater nuke it annually would open new jobs for malware enthusiasts each year. There would be construction jobs to rebuild the convention site. Just think of the economic impact! Additionally, it could serve as a method of population control. /s

      --
      Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein
    3. Re:All our rotten eggs in one basket... by Badbone · · Score: 2, Funny

      Considering the group, I think they have no problem at all with population control.

      --
      It can be go tiem now plees?
  3. Bad analogy is bad by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We need to create new, more virulent biological weapons to improve medicine.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Bad analogy is bad by DamienRBlack · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Best way to make cars safer is to put more dangerous people on the road.

  4. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by jd · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft will doubtless send an engineer so that the malware authors can reserve the bandwidth they need for all those coredumps mentioned earlier.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  5. Seriously... by boneclinkz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I love it when guys like this try and come off as if they provide some sort of legitimate service, and that they have an actual organized "community."

    What's next?

    Pedocon: Discussing the tools and tactics of the new generation of pedophiles, to enable parents to better protect their children.

  6. This is genius by Guido+del+Confuso · · Score: 3, Funny

    Also, they're having a conference for criminals down at the local police station. Real big conference, trust me. I bet there'll be booth babes.

    1. Re:This is genius by by+(1706743) · · Score: 2, Funny

      I bet there'll be booth babes.

      I'd go for the booth babes at the criminal convention over the malware booth babes...bound to be fewer viruses...

  7. after by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    They should give out free promotional USB memory devices! 100pts. for every attendee you get saying 'Let's see what's on this... oh... what an idiot...!' and facepalming/bursting into flames.

  8. MalCon by Hatta · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should hold it outside, under a bunch of large canopies. Then they'd be sure to have a lot of MalCon tents there.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  9. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by amorsen · · Score: 3, Informative

    No amount of malware can ever drain as much performance as Norton Antivirus.

    --
    Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
  10. Ethical Malcoding by guyminuslife · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ethical Malcoding: From the people who brought you:

    Ethical Terrorism
    Ethical Oppression
    Ethical Genocide
    Ethical Cannibalism
    Ethical Amorality
    ...and many, many more!

    Maybe they're hoping that by concentrating enough evil in one room, they'll create a black hole of iniquity that will flush these fuckers down a cosmic toilet.

    --
    I don't believe in time. It's a grand conspiracy designed to sell watches.
  11. Yeah, Right by MarkvW · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yeah. Like more murders lead to better murder investigations.

  12. Serial Killers by medv4380 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    But isn't what you say true. Serial Killers are better murders, and they result in specialized training and expertise on the side of the police, FBI, Scotland Yard.

  13. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by kenrblan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    MalCon 2011 - Sponsored by Symantec and McAfee

    --
    Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein
  14. Car Bomb by sycodon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If ever a car bomb was an appropriate response to anything, this is it.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  15. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by Sulphur · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Malware does automatic updates and upgrades.

  16. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by mark72005 · · Score: 2, Funny

    And the malware developers don't give you popups and sound effects and nag screens about it. :)