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May 2002 Meeting
The Virus Threat
Speaker: Chris Wraight, Technology Consultant, Sophos, Inc.
In the mid-eighties, so legend has it, the Amjad brothers of Pakistan ran a computer
store. Frustrated by computer piracy, they wrote the first computer virus, a boot sector
virus called Brain. From those simple beginnings, an entire counter-culture industry of
virus creation and distribution emerged, leaving us today with several tens of thousands
of viruses.
In just over a decade, most of us have been familiar with the term computer virus. Even
those of us who don't know how to use a computer have heard about viruses through
Hollywood films such as Independence Day or Hackers (though Hollywood's depiction of
viruses is usually highly inaccurate). International magazines and newspapers regularly
have virus-scares as leading stories. There is no doubt that our culture is fascinated
by the potential danger of these viruses.
Many people believe the worst a virus can do is format your hard disk. In fact, this
type of payload is now harmless for those of us who back up our important data. Much
more destructive viruses are those which subtly corrupt data. Consider, for example, the
effects of a virus that randomly changes numbers in spreadsheet applications by plus or
minus 10% at a stockbrokers. Other nasty viruses post company confidential documents in
your own name to some of the alt.sex internet newsgroups, an act which can both ruin
your reputation and the company's confidentiality. Sophos predicts that 2002 will see
even more virus activity, and the emergence of 'always-on' home connections with ADSL
and cable modems will increase the vulnerability to hacking attacks.
Despite our awareness of computer viruses, how many of us can define what one is, or how
it infects computers? This presentation aims to demystify the basics of computer viruses,
summarising Join us for a exciting evening as we examine the world of viruses and
explore the profile of a virus creator. Find out why viruses and worms have made
computer users double think when they double-click on attachments and URLs and why
users should use caution when surfing the Internet. Sophos, one of the world's largest
anti-virus developers, will discuss how computer users can avoid annoying hoaxes, and
worse, harmful virus infection. The total number of viruses Sophos now detects and
protects against is 71,984. Find out what the top ten virus are and who and how they may
have been created.
About Chris Wraight:
Technology Consultant, Sophos, Inc.
Chris holds a BSc in management and computer science from the Worcester Polytechnic
Institute. Chris has been leading and managing product marketing teams for almost
twenty years, and has held senior strategic positions at Lotus Development Corporation
delivering Internet and wireless technology services.
About Sophos
Sophos is one of the world's largest specialist developers of anti-virus software.
Headquartered in the UK, its products are sold and supported through a global network of
subsidiaries and partners in more than 150 countries. Sophos solutions are specifically
designed to protect businesses and organizations from virus attack. The company's
products are widely deployed by large corporations, banks and governments.
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