Spam and Virus writing courses
I am a strong believer that the best defense must include knowledge of the offense. In order to defend against anything, it’s extremely useful to understand it as well as possible. Know your attacker, their mindset, and their methods - anything you know can help. That’s one of the reasons the FBI and others create “profiles” – descriptions of typical offenders. For example, the FBI has a profile of typical child molesters and US customs has a profile of typical “bird smugglers" (I know – I fit it unfortunately).
In combating spam, the more we know about spammers the better. The University of Calgary has introduced a controversial course in which students are taught how to create spamming software. This follows a similar course where students are taught how to write viruses. The instructor John Aycock admits there is a possibility for malicious software to escape from the classroom, but says that reasonable precautions are taken. The classes teach both how to write malicious software and how to defend against it.
Why is this controversial?
In combating spam, the more we know about spammers the better. The University of Calgary has introduced a controversial course in which students are taught how to create spamming software. This follows a similar course where students are taught how to write viruses. The instructor John Aycock admits there is a possibility for malicious software to escape from the classroom, but says that reasonable precautions are taken. The classes teach both how to write malicious software and how to defend against it.
Why is this controversial?
posted by Ted Demopoulos at 8:22 AM
Comments on "Spam and Virus writing courses"
-
ZL1AQ said ... (Monday, February 07, 2005 2:01:00 AM) :
-
Ana said ... (Friday, February 11, 2005 1:51:00 AM) :
post a commentI am not convinced Ted that teaching spamming and spreading viruses is a good policy. Teaching leads to competency, which in turn can lead to the challenge of finding the limits, ignoring of the rights of others. Thank you for your comment at one of my blogs ie. CQ Ham Radio. I intended to keep it truly as a ham radio blog but there was no lasting interest evident. I sure hope we meet again de ZL1AQ
...competency, which in turn can lead to the challenge of finding the limits, ignoring of the rights of others...Knowledge = evil? I don't think so.
We don't quit mincing onion just because someone might use the knife for a murder, do we?