Customize - Urban Dictionary Store

Pro Customization

Create unique products with your own words and definitions

Preview

Personalize Your Design

Your Word

Your Definition

A virus writer in China has been arrested for developing and selling viruses. These viruses have infected millions of computers and were targeted to steal passwords for the ubiquitous QQ service, [according to] Xinhua.
The [individual] and his [associates] earned 100,000 Yuan (about US$13,000) selling the viruses to 120 individuals. This criminal team mutated / customized viruses for their customers.
These numbers should scare anyone who cares about the health of [the Internet] and computer security.
Millions of computers infected for only pennies each (assume "only" 1 million infected computers - the revenue per infection was about US$0.013 while the damage per infection was no doubt much higher).
What we don't know at the moment is how much money the buyers of these viruses made - almost certainly their return on investment was very good (I haven't seen any data on those individuals - help from China / Chinese readers?)
This is for a mass-market, non-targeted infection. To target a specific company or [individual], the rate may be higher, though the total cost would likely be the same (since the work is equivalent) but the likelihood of detection would plummet.
The economics of this highly [destructive] form of computer crime are going to drive its popularity - and commercial virus development scales much better than the current security countermeasures. 
Eight arrested in virus case
www.chinaview.cn 2007-02-13 09:13:06
The pictures shows the logo of Xiongmao Shaoxiang (Panda burns joss-sticks), a worm that has hit millions of computers in the country since November 2006.

Text may be too long

Menu

Pro Customization

Preview

Personalize Your Design

Shopping Assistant