Why do hackers create computer viruses? Is there a conspiracy behind it?

Why do hackers create computer viruses constantly as though it were some kind of business to them? What's the gain or motive? What's in it for them? It makes no sense.

Why don't they put their skills into creating something to sell to make money, or working as a computer programmer or software engineer and getting paid?

Is there any conspiracy behind this? Why can't law enforcement just stop the problem for good and arrest all the perpetrators?

reply to post by WWu777


Although some hackers create viruses just to prove they can do it, others do it for blackmail. It is potentially very profitable. So yes, there is a conspiracy or two here.

probably because they are paid by the anti-virus companies to make them in the first place.

This is not as stupid as it initially sounds.

Why is it that the antivirus companies can figure out a virus very quickly and issue updates so quickly ?

reply to post by WWu777


It really all depends on the context of the virus. Some do it for monetary gain and others just want to troll. I wouldnt necessarily call it a conspiracy. Bad and Good hackers exist just like Bad and Good people exist.

Originally posted by diddy1234


Why is it that the antivirus companies can figure out a virus very quickly and issue updates so quickly ?

Here's an interesting thought. If there were no more viruses which companies would go out of business?

Because they're paid by companies like Norton and Mc.Afee to do so,because without them they wouldn't be needed.If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have to install really crap anti virus software on our PCs that actually slows them down more than if it's infected with a virus.

reply to post by Imagewerx

Because they're paid by companies like Norton and Mc.Afee to do so,because without them they wouldn't be needed.If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have to install really crap anti virus software on our PCs that actually slows them down more than if it's infected with a virus

Like I said: blackmail.

probably 1% of the attacks you hear about are done by nerdy rebel kids, 99% are done by the alphabet agencies and virus protection companies.

It's usually 9-13 year olds hacking the codes of programs and spreading the love all around, basically out of boredom and self entertainment. I use to be like them, got banned from AOL for life for punting, lagging, and EXE'ing other users... I was bored and having fun at the time.

The biggest hackers in the world is Microsoft, and yes there is a conspiracy whenever they are concerned about their "security".

reply to post by WWu777


Knowledge, powers, money or just plain boredom.

Some persons get a 'high' from doing this. You feel powerful and mysterious, and I think many is doing it just for that reason.

But of course, you can also get a lot of money and all the information you want?
Then, if you can do it, why not?

Oh, and as other posters said, there is also a very high chance that its the virus companies themselves that create some of the viruses, so that you have to buy a virus scanner.

But you need to remember that not all hackers are bad hackers
Black-hacker
White-hacker.

The others are right, it is about youth beating their own chest and it is about money.

Speaking to the former, when I was a young punk teenage computer nerd (and we are talking early 90's, so basically before the Web) I created a couple of innocuous viruses just to see if I could do it. I embedded them within a couple of pictures of topless women, posted them to a couple of BBS servers (where we nerds hung out before there was a web) and set back to see what would happen. To make a long story short, they were not very successful but I wasn't really trying to make them vicious. Today, the same human nature exists but the tools are FAR more advanced.

As for the money end, viruses are still big money and not just for the anti-virus companies.

Here is an infographic produced by New Scientist on Spam. It shows that in one month in 2008, just 1.5% of the botnet "Storm" was used to send Spam trying to get folks to buy a specific drug. Even though only 0.000008% of the Spam resulted in sales, it would result in $3.5 million in sales for the month. That is some serious money, especially since the entire operation could be run by one or two individuals sitting in an apartment.

Hope this helps explain some of the mystery.

Lol'd hard at the replys.
Im sure there is a company or two out there doing dirt behind our backs to sell us software, but i doubt it makes up the majority of hackers.

Hacking is a billion dollar industry. Why? Trojans.
You get a good trojan on someones computer, and they don't know about it or their software cant block it, and its all gravy from there.
Most people use their computers to do everything these days, it has all your info from your adress to your bank accounts and creditcards. Yep they even log all your keystrokes.

What might they do with this info you ask?
Well, indentity theft is one, plain and simple emptying your bank accounts or as mentioned above info can be used as blackmail.

All of these are very profitable, with the risk of doing some time.

thats why virus exist. lol, wow. Never though I'd have to explain this.

I would say programmers create virus ...

and some times hackers utilize them ...

and some times programmers & hackers are 1 & the same

reply to post by Djarums




I was about to post something along similar lines.
I wonder what their profit margins are and how many people overall the industry employs etc?

They hack because they wanna show the flawed of the software since we're living an imperfect world.

It's pure intellectualism that hackers hack.

Originally posted by Imagewerx
Because they're paid by companies like Norton and Mc.Afee to do so,because without them they wouldn't be needed.If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have to install really crap anti virus software on our PCs that actually slows them down more than if it's infected with a virus

.

But what about all the people who use free AV program such as AVG, Avast or Avira? They provide good protection and keep your computer safe too. But since they are free, where's the profit motive? Don't those free AV companies lose money?

hacking such as trojans/viruses etc =money
most of the large well known internet security firms out there rely on hackers as thats who provide the counter measures

just as ALL the well known security packages are hackable
if its programmable its hackable

difference is
blackhat hackers and whitehat hackers
blackhat hackers will do damage and more than likely gain from the havoc they cause

whitehat hackers are more etical and rather than cause damage provide solutions

after all the art of hacking is finding out weaknesses in an established system and exploiting them
some people do it for profitable gain others do it for pure fun of the challenge

This thread got me thinking. I have been in PC support type jobs for the last 15 years.

Its well known that looking into the Red Light areas of the internet, as well as obtaining illegal software, very often leads to viruses/spyware on your PC.

Maybe it was an early SOPA plan. Don't look at that, you will get a virus!

Originally posted by Cyprex
This thread got me thinking. I have been in PC support type jobs for the last 15 years.

Its well known that looking into the Red Light areas of the internet, as well as obtaining illegal software, very often leads to viruses/spyware on your PC.

Maybe it was an early SOPA plan. Don't look at that, you will get a virus!

edit on 1/19/12 by Cyprex because: (no reason given)

people worry far too much about viruses etc
if your online its a risk allways has been allways will be
there are multiple cures for even the "worst virus"
and if people are browsing various places on the internet most of it should be common sense
dont just click any old random advert or site link
basic knowledge of the internet can be very helpfull on most occasions

easiest way to get a virus=click random adverts on various sites and even faster way to get 1 is searching for porn

as the old saying goes "curiosity killed the cat"

Some porn web sites are ran better these days as they are ran like a proper buisiness.

About 10 years ago, one of my 'IT support' tests was to put a windows 98 machine strait out on the web with no firewall / antivirus at all.
It was a native install of Win 98 on a 'dirty' internet connection.

The pc sat idle and was NOT used for anything at all (not even web browsing).
Within 5 minutes it was already compromised and a zombie machine with the harddrive going nuts spamming everything.

Since that time I looked at other alternatives and so far Linux has come up trumps each time.
I have never been infected or been affected by running a Linux machine.

I regularly check my home routers log file every now and then and some days I have numerous port scans followed by port attacks.

So many users try to log in as root user (disabled by default) on my SSH connection on port 22.
on 22 is open but very restricted to whom can log in.

When I had a windows web server running it got hacked twice, that got wiped and Linux server does the job very well now.

But I am not bragging, I am just highlighting how quickly a computer can be compromised even when not doing anything. Just having the standard ports open is enough to allow hackers and viruses in.