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Re: Bernstein ruling meets the virus law
On Mon, 22 Apr 1996, Bruce Marshall wrote:
> Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1996 08:50:21 -0500 (CDT)
> From: Bruce Marshall <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Bernstein ruling meets the virus law
>
> On Sat, 20 Apr 1996, Steve Reid wrote:
>
> > In Canada, there is a law that makes "unauthorized use of computing
> > resources" illegal. That makes both hacking and malicious virus spreading
> > illegal with one law, without making it illegal to share virus information
> > and source code.
>
> Several other countries have very similiar laws. However, I had
> heard a somewhat unproven rumor that a U.S. state had actually made the
> writing of programs with malicious purposes illegal. Basically meaning
> that if you write a virus you have committed a crime. Like I said
> though, this was just a statement in a message so I can't vouch for the
> accuracy.
But, define "malicious purpose." One man's low-level format is another
man's desired application of the moment. I hate to paraphrase a tired
line, but "self-replicating programs don't hurt computers - mean people
do." The term "virus" connotes a pathogenic quality in the mind of
many. Unfortunately, this tendency continues in the use of the word
'virus' within our community.
While I understand that "intent" is something with which lawyers have to
contend when they defend or prosecute a case, I don't think that the
notion of intent to commit harm extrapolates correctly into the field of
virus writing.
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| Liberty is truly dead |Mark Aldrich |
| when the slaves are willing |GRCI INFOSEC Engineering |
| to forge their own chains. |[email protected] |
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