[NTLUG:Discuss] Inflamatory remarks on Sophos' website

[Chris Cox]

Steve Baker wrote:
> Richard Geoffrion wrote:
> 
...
> I agree with your sentiments - but I think you may be overreacting.
> 
> Let's look closely at what he says:
> 
>  "Virus researchers at Sophos are suggesting that the W32/MyDoom-A
>   worm, currently spreading widely across the internet, may have
>   been deliberately constructed as a weapon in the current round
>   of "Linux wars"."
> 
> Well, Duh.  Someone deliberately constructed it as a weapon against
> SCO.  They didn't do it accidentally - so it's "deliberately constructed"
> to do whatever it does.  It's certainly a weapon (in Internet terms at
> least). It's certainly aimed against SCO.  So what's to disagree with here?

Hmmm... I was a wiley hacker once... the goal is to "twist" the mind...
to see the end result of what is done.  It's a ego trip.  The whole
SCO vs. Linux thing is just too easy....   So while it was created to
attack SCO... the person chose the target to just see the reaction (most
likely).

> 
>  "It appears that the author of MyDoom may have taken the war of words
>   from the courtrooms and internet message boards to a new level by
>   unleashing this worm which attacks SCO's website."
> 
> ...again - this is obviously true.  There would be little reason to
> attack SCO unless it was somehow related to the present legal shinanigens.
> I mean, it MIGHT be someone who has some other grudge to bear against SCO
> - but you've got to admit the odds are against it.

Yes and no.  The author may not really be interested in who wins at
all.. the person just knows that there are many dynamics and lots
of paranoia surrounding SCO and Linux... again... just an obvious
target.  Remember... the "twist".

> 
>  "If we ever get our hands on MyDoom's creator my guess is that he
>   will be an open source sympathiser."
> 
> ...well, he only says that it's his *guess*.  He's not reporting it
> as a fact.   It would be my guess too - although I also don't know
> for sure.

Yep.. but I think it's a very bad guess.  Personally, I think
it would be more likely to be George W. Bush than an "open
source sympathiser" (though it's possible for the person to
sympathetic to open source... but I think there's a deeper
implication to what they are saying).

> 
> These morons who unleash worms, virii and other nastiness are not
> exactly the smartest people on the planet or they'd be doing
> something more productive in their spare time.  It wouldn't at all
> suprise me if one of them (perhaps being a Linux user) would be stupid
> enough to launch a DDOS against SCO.

Actually, some are very smart.. but they generally lack common
sense.  They love attention (though not DIRECT attention) and the
aftermath that ensues after they do their dirty deeds.  It's a
game... a secret game... the results are shared only in
very close circles (if at all).

> 
> Yes, it *could* be Microsoft - or someone paid by Microsoft - or even
> a fairly devious Microsoft sympathiser - heck, it *could* even be SCO
> themselves...but if I was a betting man, I'd be bet on idiocy over
> conspiriacy every time.

I group these guesses with the "open source sympathiser" and my
George W. Bush guess.  It's likely just a normal hacker creating
the normal chaos... all for fun!!

> 
> It's not a good thing to face up to - but I have to say I think it's
> very likely that a Linux enthusiast did this.

It is true that many malicious hackers are into Linux... so this
could be true... but again, it's not because the person is
anti-SCO... it's probably just that it would cause the "best"
reaction... the ultimate mind "twist".  If SCO had not offered
a bounty or said other stupid things.. the effect would not
been obtained.  As it stands, the software is doing exactly
what the author probably intended... it is stirring things up.

> 
> What's important (IMHO) is for us all to express outrage - to make it
> clear that this person is an idiot and in no way representative of the
> other ten to fifteen million Linux users out there.

Definitely!  Malicious hacking is just plain stupid.