Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject Computer Science - Internet, New Technologies, grade: 1, University of Hamburg, language: English, abstract: Essay über die Geschichte, die Entstehung und die Auswirkungen von Computer Viren auf die Gesellschaft

Essay from the year 2002 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0, University of Hamburg (Institut fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik), 5 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Since the beginning of the internet age in the early 1980s, people have not merely been concerned with keeping the internet free from viruses. In point of fact, some people wreak havoc on the internet by creating and spreading nasty and disastrous computer viruses. Hence, the so-called hackers cause mayhem and destruction in the net. It is a fact that computer viruses cause great damage because they can pass from one computer to another like a biological virus, thus infecting the system. Hence, a computer virus can be regarded as the undesirable embodiment of human intelligence to interrupt and to create a vacuum in the constant flow of internet information. What is more, the history of the computer virus is laced with the human need to be recognized. Thus, many research projects show that the majority of virus creators crave public acknowledgement. However, there are many other reasons why people try to spread computer viruses. Nonetheless, all hackers can be seen as dangerous and harmful, being indifferent to the consequences of spreading viruses to themselves and to others. In the following, I will concentrate on the phenomenon of computer viruses. Therefore, I will focus on the reasons why computer viruses were brought to life, discussing the history of the computer virus and the effects it has taken on our society. It is a fact that hackers not only use viruses, worms and Trojan horses to cause a loss of information but also to gain control over remote systems and the information stored on these systems. For this reason, I will not only concentrate on the way the virus affects our everyday life but also on the effects it has in the business sector."

For those who didn't buy the first edition, welcome aboard. For those who did buy the first edition, welcome back, and thanks for making the second edition possible. For those who bought the first edition and are standing in the book store wondering whether to buy the second, what's in it for you? Well, for one thing, it's smaller. (No, no! Don't leave!) I tried to make the first edition a kind of master reference for antiviral protection. That meant I included a lot of stuff that I thought might possibly be helpful, even if I had some doubts about it. This time I've tried to be a little more selective. I've added a little more material to Chapter 4 (Computer Opera tions and Viral Operations) dealing with the question of computer vi ruses infecting data files and the new "macro" viruses. I've added two new sections to Chapter 7 (The Virus and Society). One looks at the increasing problem of false alarms while the other looks at the ethics of virus writing and exchange.

Designed for the busy executive. Provides a clear understanding of viruses and the detrimental effect they could have on an organization. Includes step-by-step methods to disinfect your computer.

Symantec's chief antivirus researcher has written the definitive guide to contemporary virus threats, defense techniques, and analysis tools. Unlike most books on computer viruses, The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense is a reference written strictly for white hats: IT and security professionals responsible for protecting their organizations against malware. Peter Szor systematically covers everything you need to know, including virus behavior and classification, protection strategies, antivirus and worm-blocking techniques, and much more. Szor presents the state-of-the-art in both malware and protection, providing the full technical detail that professionals need to handle increasingly complex attacks. Along the way, he provides extensive information on code metamorphism and other emerging techniques, so you can anticipate and prepare for future threats. Szor also offers the most thorough and practical primer on virus analysis ever published—addressing everything from creating your own personal laboratory to automating the analysis process. This book's coverage includes Discovering how malicious code attacks on a variety of platforms Classifying malware strategies for infection, in-memory operation, self-protection, payload delivery, exploitation, and more Identifying and responding to code obfuscation threats: encrypted, polymorphic, and metamorphic Mastering empirical methods for analyzing malicious code—and what to do with what you learn Reverse-engineering malicious code with disassemblers, debuggers, emulators, and virtual machines Implementing technical defenses: scanning, code emulation, disinfection, inoculation, integrity checking, sandboxing, honeypots, behavior blocking, and much more Using worm blocking, host-based intrusion prevention, and network-level defense strategies

Explains what a virus is, how it works, and what can be done to protect your PC against destruction.

This definitive work on computer viruses discusses the techniques modern viruses use to propagate, evade anti-virus software, cause damage, & compromise system security. Unlike most works on the subject, THE GIANT BLACK BOOK doesn't stop short of giving the reader what he needs to fully understand the subject. It is a technical work which contains complete, fully-functional commented code & explanations of more than 37 computer viruses & 3 anti-virus programs, alone with detailed discussions of stealth technology, polymorphism, evolutionary viruses & good viruses. The book discusses viruses for DOS, Windows, OS/2, Unix systems, & more. Also see related listings: Mark Ludwig, COMPUTER VIRUSES, ARTIFICIAL LIFE & EVOLUTION (ISBN 0-929408-07-1), an in depth discussion of whether computer viruses are alive, & the implications of evolutionary reproduction in the world of viruses. Mark Ludwig, THE MILITARY USE OF COMPUTER VIRUSES (ISBN 0-929408-11-X). George Smith, THE VIRUS CREATION LABS (ISBN 0-929408-09-8) a popular inside account of the computer virus subculture. Call American Eagle Publications at (800) 719-4957 for a catalog of books & software related to computer viruses, computer security & cryptography, or write P.O. Box 1507, Show Low, AZ 85901.