Students Learn To Write Viruses

snocrossgjd writes "In a windowless underground computer lab in California, young men are busy cooking up viruses, spam and other plagues of the computer age. Grant Joy runs a program that surreptitiously records every keystroke on his machine, including user names, passwords, and credit-card numbers. Thomas Fynan floods a bulletin board with huge messages from fake users. Yet Joy and Fynan aren't hackers — they're students in a computer-security class at Sonoma State University. Their professor, George Ledin, has showed them how to penetrate even the best antivirus software."

Oh Joy more spam

[WiiVault]

Sweet, another person spamming my boards! And no education isn't an excuse.

Re:zomg zomg first prost!

[Anonymous Coward]

I love the smell of burning karma in the morning.

Smells like... victory.

No great accomplishment

[John Hasler]

> Their professor, George Ledin, has showed them how to penetrate even the best antivirus
> software.

That and $.10 will get you a year's supply of fake Viagra.

Re:Social Engineering VS Computer Sci

[MindlessAutomata]

I'd like to take a course on penetration. I might actually learn something.

Re:Sounds pretty cool

[Pictish Prince]

Well, they said it was a windowless class, so I guess it's higher than entry level.

Re:speaking of penetration...

[Anonymous Coward]

Use your imagination.

Viruses in a WINDOWsless environment ?

[destinationPattern44]

"In a windowless underground computer lab in California, young men are busy cooking up viruses" it's IMPOSSIBLE! Viruses need Windows and they won't run in a Windowsless environment.

Cyber-Terrorism

[prakslash]

This guy is teaching cyber-terrorism !!

The SAS could take out any one of these training camps.
Kill everybody there, and be gone before the echo fades.

Re:Social Engineering VS Computer Sci

[TubeSteak]

I'd like to take a course on penetration. I might actually learn something.

Unlike college courses, those 'teachers' charge by the hour.

Though if you are in college, you could take it as an... extracurricular.

Re:speaking of penetration...

[azuredrake]

Thomas Fynan floods a bulletin board with huge messages from fake users.

Ah-hah! Got ya!

Re:Social Engineering VS Computer Sci

[maxume]

Or just do some petty crime so you get to spend some quality time in county -- the course is free, and apparently not an elective.

Zing!

Re:Not Hackers?

[NaishWS]

Trying to get the public, the mainstream, to start using 'cracker' instead of 'hacker' may not end well for some. The next time a group of black guys yell, "Hey what you looking at cracker?", a cs student may think they are actually complimenting his/her computer skills and approach them to thank them for their kind words.

Re:Social Engineering VS Computer Sci

[TheLink]

"Unlike college courses, those 'teachers' charge by the hour"

Do they provide "hands on" training as well?

I find I often can learn a lot more from "hands on" training.

Re:Social Engineering VS Computer Sci

[palegray.net]

Yes, but all tests are orally administered.

Windowless?

[waylandbill]

I don't believe it is windowless. Having Windows is the best way to perpetuate viruses!