Vulnerability Development mailing list archives

RE: CodeGreen beta release (idq-patcher/antiCodeRed/etc.)


From: "David Schwartz" <davids () webmaster com>
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 12:03:49 -0700


I can't believe anyone honestly considers a "counter-attack" worm the same
as self-defense. Deadly force, or otherwise normally illegal amounts of
force, is justified only in defense of your life, or the lives of others,
your physical well-being, or the physical well-being of others. Defense is
something done to prevent something from happening, retaliation
is something
done in response to a previous act. Furthermore, from what I gather, it's
not even retaliatory, it's pre-emptive, being a automated worm like CR. In
any case, it is illegal, and rather morally and ethically
suspect. Releasing
yet another worm that attempts unauthorized access to someone's
machine, and
then runs code on it is illegal.

        Say someone has left a loaded gun on their lawn, where anyone could pick it
up and shoot it at anything they chose. Is it morally justified to trespass
onto their property to remove and unload the gun? Do you have to wait until
you see a child nearby? Until a child picks up the gun?

        DS


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