by Kieron Deane

Created on: May 03, 2010

Should Computer Virus Writer go to Jail?

Almost every computer user has experienced the effects of a virus at some point in their life. Even if there is someone who has never had a virus, they will get one sooner or later. No anti virus program is one hundred percent secure and this is the one of the main reasons for infections, while the second reason is simply user negligence. No one likes having a virus, and because viruses have caused so many problems over the years, many people will agree that virus writers should go to jail.

I personally disagree for two main reasons. This might seem to be a shock for most people, but it is a fact that virus writers have their own place in the world. First of all, many people have confused the true definition of a computer virus and mixed it with the definitions of Spy-ware and other forms of Malware. The Proper definition of a virus is “A program which is designed to cause some kind of damage to a computer system.” This can be anything from deleting some files to corrupting others or even provoking the user, however viruses never cause physical damage to a computer. There are many different types of viruses, Boot Sector Viruses, Polymorphic Viruses, Macros, Worms, Trojans and others, each type designed to carry out a specific set of functions, which normally results in eventual or immediate damage. Viruses don't collect personal information, Spy-ware does that, a Virus doesn't deceive users into visiting false websites, thats Phishing. By creating viruses that exploit technological faults, virus writers and their viruses bring awareness of security problems to companies and users. This is very similar to the kind of awareness that Hacking brings (Hacking also has its benefits but that's for another article). These faults can then be fixed or avoided. Imagine what would happen if no one ever knew that these problems actually existed?

The second reason is very simple, there are many Anti-virus companies out there, If virus writers were sent to jail, the rates of virus creation and infections would fall. These companies would not have much of a business anymore. This is then bad for the company, the economy, and the employees of these Anti-virus companies, as many of them would become jobless.

 Instead of saying that Computer Virus writers should go to jail, people need to become more aware of the threats around them and learn the art of avoiding these threats. The computer world is the same as the real world, it has its own problems and insecurities, If a person can live well in the real world there is no excuse for them to have problems on a computer, or to say that Computer Virus writers should go to jail.

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