From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 05:44:16 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 05:44:06 -0400 Received: from cx570538-a.elcjn1.sdca.home.com ([24.5.14.144]:9856 "EHLO keroon.dmz.dreampark.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 05:43:54 -0400 Message-ID: <3B67CE93.9BA6152D@randomlogic.com> Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 02:40:35 -0700 From: "Paul G. Allen" Organization: Akamai Technologies, Inc. X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.4.2-2 i686) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 CC: Linux Kernel Mailing List Subject: Re: [OT] DMCA loop hole In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To: unlisted-recipients:; (no To-header on input)@localhost.localdomain Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org James Simmons wrote: > > Sorry this is off topic but this was way to good :-) > > Virus writers can use the DMCA in a perverse way. Because > computer viruses are programs, they can be copyrighted just like a > book, song, or movie. If a virus writer were to use encryption to hide > the code of a virus, an anti-virus company could be forbidden by the > DMCA to see how the virus works without first getting the permission > of the virus writer. If they didn't, a virus writer could sue the > anti-virus company under the DMCA! I like this and I must forward it to all my network security colleagues. It would serve the writers of DMCA right if they a) were victim to a virus, trojan, or worm and b) were sued under the very law they created for reverse engineering it and publicizing a fix. PGA