VX Heavens

The extent of Internet censorship in countries like China is regularly tested, but the testing methods used from within a censored country can entail risk for humans. A benevolent worm can be used for testing instead: the worm's self-replication, long the bane of suggested benevolent viruses and worms, is shown to be essential here. We describe the design of this benevolent worm, along with some other related applications for it. A full technical, ethical, and legal analysis is provided.

This paper is an attempt to summarize why exactly the general public appreciates computer viruses as something inherently bad. It is also considering several of the proposed models of 'beneficial' viruses and points out the problems in them.

In recent months, a controversy has arisen in the electronic and print media as to the viability of benevolent computer viruses and the morality of a contest to find useful applications of this technology. In this paper, we discuss the issues related to applying computer viruses for good instead of evil.We begin with some background on viruses and related topics in `life-like' computational organisms. Next we examine some of the major problems facing the current global computing environment and how viruses have the potential for helping to solve these problems. We then consider several widely stated arguments against the application of computer viruses for useful purposes and provide counterpoints.

[...] Biologists have learned to harness viruses to create vaccines and, in recent years, to reprogram faulty chromosomes by using viruses to smuggle new genes into cells. Now a small but growing group of computer scientists is examining the possibility of designing computer viruses and similar programs called worms to burrow into computer networks and set in motion a whole range of beneficial activities. [...]

I have decided to show how I think a good virus is possible, but I will not be insisting that this is a good virus, simply that Bontchev and his followers are wrong in the assumption that no virus could be 'good'.

In the previous articles, three more or less different viewpoints about beneficial viruses and artificial life were presented. The topic is undoubtedly interesting. Could computer viruses be beneficial? What is artificial life? Are computer viruses the form of artificial life or not? Is it ethical to play with such things?...etc...The questions are numerous. The answers, opinions and approaches can vary widely - from the scientific (and somewhat controversial) interests of Fred Cohen and Mark Ludwig, pragmatic (and somewhat sceptical) approach of Vesselin Bontchev till vague and possibly confused opinions of "average computer user" and spurious intentions of anonymous virus writers today.

Back in 1997, the well known antivirus expert Vesselin Bontchev wrote an article giving twelve reasons to proof viruses are always a bad idea.That's too pedantic for my vx taste, then i decided to write this article explaining why a "good" virus can be a good idea.

Computer viruses have become the bane of personal computers. But can similar mechanisms be used to spread new information and update old information for the benefit of users?