Re: [OT] DMCA loop hole

[Helge Hafting <helgehaf@idb.hist.no>]

"Joshua b. Jore" wrote:
> 
> I'd beg to differ with you on that. The way I've heard it is that writing
> viruses is not legal in the US. Some of you aren't here so you have your
> own laws but then you aren't bound by the DMCA. I recall that was the
> impetus for this thread in the first place.
> 
> I'll just have to beg off and say that I've understood it that
> 'educational' are as illegal as say, something you meant to release into
> the wide world.
> 
How is making a virus any different from making any other weapon, like
a gun?  Using it against someone might of course be illegal.

There are certainly valid reasons for making viruses.  For example
in order to test (and develop) antivirus software that 
automatically detect new viruses without being told about them first.

Oh, and surely someone can invent an excuse for using a virus
offensively
too.  "I need this to defend my site from cyber-terrorists..."  

Helge Hafting