Why computer virus is so effective weapon?

Kimmo Huosionmaa

If we really think why computerized attack is so effective in  hands of terrorists or governments, is that equipment for that kind of attack are very cheap. Even with open source solutions is possible to program effective malware, and almost every person in the world can buy computer and download necessarily software from the net. Only thing what they next need is programmer who wants to make that kind of software. Malware could be masked as antivirus software, and if somebody downloads it by mistake, the attacker can take computer in control, and he can fish many vital information from target system.


 Or he can make that system so called zombie-platform, what can use as delivering platform for other malware programs, or if attacker takes many computers under his or her personal control, this person can begin denial of service attack with multiple computers, what can send millions of  echo request asks to one target systems. Those kind of denial of service  attack can cause serious damages to some net markets business. But when somebody wants to make viruses and he have right relationships, can he mask his work as antivirus-developing.


That kind of action makes possible to get virus-code from the net and make Trojan horses what looks like antivirus software. After making suitable software must those malware makers only give offer to their target company, and if they are good enough they use some well known antivirus company email, where they offer cheap packet of their product only for longtime partners. And the message is of course marked as "confidential", and link to loading page only give wrong page, what belongs to those criminals. And after that this company will download spy program what can monitor all data traffic what can be sent to those infected computers. This kind of attack is useful for industrial spying.


When we are talking about situation where attackers have agent inside target company, they can put virus code to the system from USB-stick. The code can bypass antivirus software if it is transferred as text documents, and after that just copy pasted to some programming tool. And if those attackers are sharp, they can do virus in system, without any warning. If target is firm what makes antivirus tools attacker can replace some components of program updates with malware code, and one example of that kind of action is that infected firewall can route data what have been set from that computer to third part who is industrial spy.


Who would be that "agent". He can be some real spy, who wants to help this persons homeland. But this person might be also some guy who criminals or spy's blackmails to co-operative. That's why persons who uses narcotics are good target for criminals, because they need money for their narcotics hobby. And some "bad guys" might offer that person free drugs or they can threat this person to tell this things about him to that target person's boss or other authorities. And what would you think what will happen, if narcotic user makes code for antivirus company. They would kick this person off right away immediately when they sees marks of using of drugs. Or reason for this co-operation with criminals might be revenge. This person might got so much bad things by his working partners that he or she can sell themselves to some "bad guys".