[ISN] Virus writers look for work

[InfoSec News]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18398

By Nick Farrell
13 September 2004

THE WRITERS of the MyDoom viruses are encoding job applications into
the latest variants of the bug.

According to Sophos the plea for work was found when its boffins were
stripping the code of the MyDoom-U and MyDoom-V variants.

"We searching 4 work in AV (anti-virus) industry," read the message,
although a CV was not attached.

Media friendly Sophos spokesman Graham Cluley said that it was
unlikely how serious the writer's were, but there was no way that
anyone in the AV industry would 'touch them with a bargepole'

The MyDoom-U and MyDoom-V contain a file attachment that, when
downloaded, infects a computer with a "back door" that blocks access
to most anti-virus websites and turns the computer into a spamming
machine, sending out junk emails.

However they are not spreading particularly well which might indicate
that the mydoom franchise is running out of steam, hence the job
application.

It is also equally possible is that the writers might have finished
their school or university and are thinking about a career.

Despite what Cluley said, surely it must be a lot cheaper for the
industry to give these kids a job turning over their mates rather than
spending a lot of time and effort patching worm variants.