The Virus Creation Labs: A Journey into the Underground [Paperback]

George Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1994

About the computer virus writing scene in the early 1990s. A fascinating look at the people involved in writing viruses as well as the people chasing them!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George Smith, Ph. D., lives in southern California where he writes and edits the Crypt Newsletter. His doctorate is in chemistry from Lehigh University. While there, he worked on real "flesh-eating bacteria," investigating the proteins produced by the pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus, a microorganism which dissolves the skin, blood vessels and connective tissue of its host. After completing post-doctoral work at the Penn State School of Medicine, Smith went to work for a newspaper in eastern Pennsylvania. After writing a series of articles in 1991 dealing with secrecy and armaments production within the military industrial complex, he was awarded a Knight Special Fellowship on "the nuts and bolts of nuclear proliferation," sponsored by New York University's Center for War Peace and the News Media, and the University of Maryland. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Amer Eagle Pubns Inc (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929408098
• ISBN-13: 978-0929408095
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,552,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Explains virus writer psychology & industry politics well, April 15, 2000

By 

J. G. Heiser (Sunninghill, Berks) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Virus Creation Labs: A Journey into the Underground (Paperback)

This is a quirky but entertaining little book. It contains the best description I've found on the psychology and dynamics of the virus-writing community. The interesting thing about the AV business is that the software vendors are often just as colorful as the people writing the viruses. This book captures the melodrama of the anti-virus industry and accurately portrays the spy vs spy nature of the constant escalations between the attackers and the defenders. The author is absolutely correct--they do know each other and they do talk. Most purchasers of AV software have no idea how flamboyant the personalities are at the helms of their software suppliers.

I can confirm several of the outlandish stories contained in Smith's book. I have no reason to doubt anything he says--it seems completely consistent with my experiences.

Besides providing a helpful understanding of the nature of hostile code and its source, this book is also an excellent read. It is enjoyable and engrossing. It does not delve into the bits & bytes of viruses, nor does it discuss the mechanics of transmission and reproduction mechanisms. If you want that, read Fred Cohen or Alan Solomon. Unlike their books, this one is not only educational, but is also entertaining.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish every technology reporter would read this book, May 7, 1999

By 

Robin Rosenberger (Midwestern Cornbelt, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Virus Creation Labs: A Journey into the Underground (Paperback)

The media portrays virus writers as teenage prodigies whose temper tantrums threaten the world. The media portrays antivirus companies as serious business professionals who work closely with competitors and international agencies to keep virus writers at bay. If you listen to the media, it's a World War with clear lines drawn between good & evil.

The media doesn't have a clue. "Drunken brawl" most accurately describes the virus/antivirus conflict. You can't always tell the good guys from the bad guys (they occasionally switch sides) and it's every man for himself. Virus writers rarely advance the state of the art -- yet antivirus firms profit by declaring them deadly computer terrorists.

Few books about viruses delve into this bizarre soap opera, and most of those only cover it briefly. Crypt Newsletter editor George C. Smith's entire book exposes an insane world where everybody claws at each others' throats -- and where even the virus writers have marketing departments. Don't let its publication date fool you: this book takes a historical look at the madhouse beginning. 172 pages written with an utterly cynical sense of humor & irony. I read The Virus Creation Labs for the first time while sitting in an airport terminal and I repeatedly embarrassed myself with bursts of laughter.

This book gets my strongest recommendation. I consider it required reading for every computer security expert. I wish every technology reporter would read it, too.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic look at this subject., April 25, 2000

By 

bob weaver (Springville, UT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Virus Creation Labs: A Journey into the Underground (Paperback)

I was glad to see that the author keeps a pretty unbiased position throughout the book. As well as the fact that he reports on many different aspects of what was going on in the virus world at the time the book covers it. He also brings out some good points about the media and the anti-virus software companies that really get you thinking. My only complaint with the book is that it's too short...