The antivirus software conspiracy

Who benefits the most from computer viruses?

Simple answer: The antivirus software companies.

Yet, when I type in the words antivirus and conspiracy into google all I get is articles like:

"Debunking the antivirus conspiracy theory"

"Why there is no global antivirus conspiracy"

and similar. In fact, searching for 20 minutes, I did not find one single article on the subject of my interest. Only Debunk and statements such as "There is no way that there is a conspiracy here", "Its impossible". Having the first google-search page plastered with categorically stating"its nonsense" makes me suspicious though.


The idea that antivirus software companies and virus writers collaborate or that antivirus companies create viruses themselves for the purpose of high demand of their product and the ensuing huge sales is not as far-fetched and “crazy” as many claim. Afterall, they benefit hugely from malware.

What do the writers of viruses benefit from creating problems? What is their motivation for doing so and continuing to do so? Apparently we are to believe that they continue to spread viruses “just for fun”. Where does this constant onslaught of daily viruses come from? And for what reason?

The main argument of debunkers is "there is no evidence for a money trail between the companies and the virus writers"...as if this money trail would be openly shown or easy to be tracked down.

Anybody know more and willing to share?

reply to post by Skyfloating


I just spent the last hour trying the same thing you tried. I get the same results no matter what search engine I try. I have been wondering if your premiss is true for a long time. It occured to me that not only could they promote they're own products but some of the worms and bots and other spyware that results from unwanted and forced dnlds we don't even realise are happening are part of the spy program the government is using.
Zindo

The antivirus companies have been employing people to create virus that attack or systems everyday for years, this keeps them in a job and brings in the $$$.

Of course the goverment has indeed step up it's efforts in this area of being able to hack computers through the antivirus systems they are controlled. But what isn't these days they have their hands in everything.

Well I dont know about you guys... but a while ago I remember a thing on another forums about the same type of thing. I think norton had been caught out (or something like that) writing viruses. Maybe it was something someone told me. I cant remember.... but the point is that geek circles its common knowledge that some of the mainstream anti virus companies will make viruses to try and make people use their software - I think you can see it somewhat by the speed in which they come out with a solution for the virus or something like that.

-fm

Sky Floating, That was a brilliant conclusion. With the way the world works, I think you are exactly right. That and Rare actual hackers.

-ADHD

When I used to work in the computer business, I had many customers ask me (after I sold them some kind of antivirus software) if the corporate office of the antivirus company was divided into two sections: on one side of the building they had programmers busily writing software to fix virus problems, and on the other side of the building they had programmers busily writing the very same viruses they protect against.


Create the disease to sell the cure. It's a scam as old as money.



Don't like viruses? Switch over to Linux. It's 100x more secure, and FREE! And none of the code written into it is a secret, unlike M$ Windows.

[edit on 6-5-2008 by ianr5741]

been floating around for a while, some articles are quite interesting.

in my youth i wrote a couple of viruses just cause i was bugger of a kid and i wanted to see if i could do it (always liked a challenge) now im older and wiser i cant be bothered with it and found a greater challenge defeating viruses others created.

I dont understand the reason for the creation of alot of the virii allegedly roaming the net atm, they are not worth the electrons used to write them.

At worst they clog up your machine and slow it down at best i might discover the odd one that actually does something interesting.

it seems to me alot of them are written for the sole purpose of tweaking your anti-virus program to display an alert that you have a virus i dont know if this is because security has improved to a point that virii cant cause the trouble they once did or a theory i had herd years ago was that the virii were being developed by anti-virus software companies so that users think they are being protected.

a large portion of the virii today seem to just load themselves on start up and just take up RAM and they have such user intimadating names such as "Trojan" and "Backdoor" or "Worm". There not so much a threat as they are an irritation.

something else i noticed with VET and Norton is that Norton Detects alot that VET doesnt and vice versa however AVG detects viruses both of those can plus others that they dont so ... who knows !

Originally posted by Skyfloating

In fact, searching for 20 minutes, I did not find one single article on the subject of my interest.

Hi Skyfloating,
I would hate to contradict you (or derail you), but I did once start a similar thread wherein it is written

I have for a long time thought that many computer viruses were created by anti-virus manufacturers

with the crux of the thread being

From iPods to navigation systems, some of today's hottest gadgets are landing on store shelves with some unwanted extras from the factory — pre-installed viruses that steal passwords, open doors for hackers and make computers spew spam.

Not exactly the same admitedly but saying much the same thing.

It is a very intersting idea and am very surprised more people have not yet queried it.

I gave up on antivirus software. For about six months the only protection I have had going is the MS firewall. It gets a little odd at times - once ATS was really freaky - but I clean out my cookies when that happens and it runs ok. I got tired of the programs not doing anything yet clogging up my computer.
Call me Loony, I don't care. I just want the computer to actually work and this is as good as it has gotten so far. I'm far from a computer expert so I may be taking a gamble. Heck, I'm sure if anyone wanted my info they already have it so does it really matter?

reply to post by TheLoony


im pretty sure you are taking a big gamble there.... MS firewall isnt really that good.... you would be better to have a look around and find a good firewall.

Sygate if you are using XP, if you are using vista something like NOD32 security suite is pretty darn good.

-fm

[size=10]DIGG IT!


This is actually a topic near-and-dear to my heart. If we can get some traction on the technically-inclined DIGG.com site, we may actually see some more valuable input on the subject.


So... DIGG Away!

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I've noticed the same trends that everyone else here is noticing.

One other thing that I noticed was that you haven't Dugg it yet SO. What gives?

TheBorg

Nah, I don't buy into the conspiracy.

The anti virus companies could use the business models the big pharma companies use for big profits legally and more effectively.

Fear, brilliant marketing and a huge sales force.

Why resort to illegal practices that could be revealed with a little digital forensics.

Cool,thanks. It seems to work a little better, gotta play with it and see. I know I may be taking a huge risk but I got so tired of programs doing seemingly nothing yet being a huge pain. So, whatever. It's only a computer.

EDIT: This was supposed to be a response to Funky Monk, I musta hit the wrong button.

[edit on 5/6/2008 by TheLoony]

I find it odd that a company can know how to beat a virus or etc. I would think it would take them knowing how it's created by the creator of it. I mean, the software has to know already what it is so it can handle the problem. I cant see how a company recieves a virus on a company computer and were able to figure it all out on how to defeat that virus, when for one, the computer shouldn't work properly to figure out any damn thing so that you can know what the deal is to get rid of it.

[edit on 6-5-2008 by Mabus]

Well, I know of white hat hackers, these are the guys that basically can write viuses, but instead find the files and programs that they exploit and work to correct them, and find backdoors and such that others exploit and let their bosses know about them, my teach used to work as them. As for suspecting them because they fix the viruses... well, that's faulty logic. blame the firemen for the fires and the dentist for the cavities to while you're at it.
norton was good at some point, then it seem the company got full of itself, and now most people use AVG. It's true, with safe internet browsing you can probably go a long while wihout having to worry about any bugs. Visit... les than trustworthy sites, mostly dot coms and some other... stuff, and you should run a scan after each session, most likely you wiill catch something.
Linux is fairly virus free at the moment because of it's many flavors and because it's not that common. Only a very small part of the market uses it.

The world of capitalism....the first rule is to not make a product that will last.

Why?

Well....then you make your product obsolete. Is it any wonder why we as a nation go through a huge amount of trash? Is it any wonder why the terms 'lease' and 'rent and 'recycle' have become popular in our lexicon?

The electronics industry is no different. Not only are we as a society experiencing leaps and bounds regarding digital technology, but these advances are usually timed 'in time for Christmas' or in line with the end of the fiscal year...

What is a worm? A slow virus. So what if a worm can be programmed into an electronic to cause a hardship in usage at approximately the same time a projected advance comes into being?

As always, the accepted consumer version usually has a military precursor...

The M234 electronic Self-Destruct fuze incorporates two autonomous fuze functioning systems. The first consists of an improved primary mode mechanical fuze. An integral electronic timer controls initiation of the secondary self-destruct feature. If the primary fuze fails to function because of ground impact attitude or terrain irregularities, the M234 electronic backup timer causes either the initiation of the explosive charge or sterilization of the fuze.

A worm or virus can just be an electronic timer

Until recently only large corporations could get such products. Now, however, versions for individuals and small businesses are starting to appear. Absolute Software, which makes Lojack for Laptops, will add a remote-kill feature to the next version of the program, so if a portable is stolen, the firm will be able to send a command to wipe out specific files--or even the entire contents of the hard drive.

The 'worm' is now being marketed and they can work instantly.

Just as the colors of fashion can turn "Grey" into the "New Black", capitalism across the spectrum of industry is designed to insure that the product just sold to you will not last forever....so you will have to buy it again, in perhaps a better form.

Fun stuff if you ask me...

[edit on 6-5-2008 by MemoryShock]

Well, I've considered moving over to Linux or Mac OS.

Windows is either full of flaws or is designed to fail, and/or collect viruses and spyware. Every so often you will find yourself with a problematic PC that freezes, and is slow. Ane, if you run it for any length of time without re-booting, you will find yourself in the situation where you need to reboot, to "fix" the machine.

I was quite impressed when I was out on a job, trying to help someone with router problems. This guy had one of those Macs with the computer built into the CRT case. I noted how quick the computer loaded web pages. He had the computer for a number of years. It was loading pages and images like a champ. I think he may have restored the machine once. It's hard to do that with a Windows machine.

One thing I would miss about moving to, say, Linux, is the Windows games. There is software that is apparently making some advances in allowing you to use windows sofware on Linux. I am interested in installing Ubuntu on a machine.

Troy

Originally posted by cybertroy

One thing I would miss about moving to, say, Linux, is the Windows games. There is software that is apparently making some advances in allowing you to use windows sofware on Linux. I am interested in installing Ubuntu on a machine.

Troy

Wine has come a very long way in getting 3d gmaes to work. Almost flawless for about 70% of what I tried last with ubuntu hardy heron.

But the problem lay in punkbuster for me, as it detects something fishy going on with windows.

But other than that, single player, about 70% were almost 100% fps as in windows and the resolutions were pretty much exact.

But the only 2 games I play, I play online. So frustrating...

Or I'd be there in a flash. Absolutely love ubuntu for it's easey usability, both cli and gui.

Originally posted by Demandred

in my youth i wrote a couple of viruses just cause i was bugger of a kid and i wanted to see if i could do it (always liked a challenge)

Glad you grew up. I disagree that creating a virus is a challenge - except for a kid or student testing and learning. To put it out in public is no different than throwing rocks through windows, just because you learned how easy they break.

In the early days of software nobody had to consider people would throw rocks in the gears to get their jollies of taking big machines down. Like putting sugar in a gas tank, it takes allot less brains than the people who created it.

It's a challenge to write good software to do challenging tasks. All you have to do to create a virus is learn enough about software to disable it or use it for nefarious purposes. That is not much of a challenge.

That same mentality is what makes an arsonist destroy buildings, because they find it a challenge to get the fire started and have the building burn without getting caught. A child can figure out how to burn a building, but it takes hard work, more brains to design and build one.

Software exploiters are not creators they are destroyers or terrorist on a monetary level because they cost time and money to clean up their messes.

Back to the OP. You can download free virus removal tools from most the major anti-viral companies, so that alone should tell you they don't create viruses to make money. When you buy their products they are for both prevention and removal. Again removal tools are free - if nothing else they document the exploits and steps to remove (as in clean boots, registry, file name, attribute changes etc.)

Just like fire departments don't start fires in order to have a job to put them out - a few rare psycho fireman aside.

If anybody is creating viruses it would be people in the biz like me(NOT me) who make a living removing them from infected computers - in order that one would have plenty of work to do. So, it wouldn't surprise me that some in the business do, but not the companies who write the anti-viral software.

I don't key cars, slash tires, burn buildings, sugar gas tanks or create viruses ,because that's not in my nature.

[edit on 7-5-2008 by verylowfrequency]