News and Analysis Results
Infamous malware group calls it quits
The shutters are being pulled down on old school virus writers' group 29A. 29A, hexadecimal for 666, is an underground VXer collective known for creating the first Win 2000 virus, the first 64bit virus, and early examples of mobile malware that infected devices such as PDAs. The group also published information on how to create …
Old school VXers calling it quits
The old School Virus writers (VXers) scene is dying a death, according to Symantec. Key members of long-established VXers groups are drifting away while others are struggling to get enough material together for underground malware magazines. "There should be no question anymore that the VX scene is dying," Symantec reports. Roy …
How hot is your Xbox 360?
If you're the type of gamer who thinks dangers lurk behind every corner, then a heat-sensitive casing for the Xbox 360 should go a little way to allaying your fears about it spontaneously combusting. Xbox360_temp_case Xbox 360 Hot Rock case: what colour is yours? While the Xbox 360 Hot Rock Case may not actually cool your …
Kazakh heavy metal virusmonger avoids jail
A former heavy metal guitarist has escaped jail after been convicted of running websites that distributed an estimated 4,000 different computer viruses. Sergey Kazachkov, the former lead guitarist of Kazakhstan rockers DLM turned science student, received a two year suspended sentence after confessing to running a brace of …
Anti-virus groups fight over Crossover sharing
A virus that spreads from PCs to mobile devices has become the focus of a power play between the anti-virus industry and the relatively young Mobile Anti-virus Research Association, which obtained the only sample of the program. This week, the Mobile Anti-virus Research Association (MARA), a collection of professors, authors …
Russian fined for virus-writing exploits
A Russian member of well-known 29A virus writers group has been fined 3,000 roubles (approximately £57) after he admitted writing malicious code. Eugene Suchkov (AKA Whale), from the little-known Russian republic of Udmurtia, admitted writing the Stepan and Gastropod viruses. He posted live code for the viruses alongside the …
Anti-virus outfit defends job for VXer
Czech company Zoner Software has explained why it employed a prominent former virus writer to develop anti-virus software on its behalf. The firm - whose main business is graphics and multimedia - hired Benny, one-time member of the 29A virus writing group, to develop security software to protect servers run by Zoner's Internet …
Czech virus writer joins anti-virus firm
A prominent former virus writer has secured a job developing anti-virus software. Benny, one-time member of the 29A virus writing group, has begun work as the main developer of Zoner Anti-Virus (ZAV), according to an entry on his home page. Zoner Anti-Virus is developed by Zoner Software, a small company based in Brno in the …
First PocketPC virus found
The first computer virus to infect handheld devices running Microsoft's PocketPC OS was discovered over the weekend. Duts was written by Ratter, of the 29A virus-writing group, as an academic exercise rather than a serious attempt to spread malicious code across handheld computers. The same group created a virus capable of …
Virus attacks mobiles via Bluetooth
Some useful citizen has written a virus which targets mobile phones running the Symbian operating system. Anti-virus groups received the worm from its authors but it is not yet "in the wild". The Cabir worm is the first network worm for mobile phones, according to Kaspersky Labs. It was written by 29a, a group of virus writers …
Apple in talks to buy Universal Music Group — report
Apple CEO Steve Jobs may once have dated Joan Baez, but is he really itching to become a music industry player? If the LA Times is correct, that could well be what he achieves. According to the paper, Apple is in talks to buy Universal Music, one of the world’s ‘big five’ record labels, from its troubled parent Vivendi. The Mac …
Hunt for Code Red authors turns into witch hunt
Reports that the author of the infamous Code Red worm belong to virus writing group 29A have been comprehensively refuted by hacking groups and security experts alike. In the run-up to the Hackers at Large (HAL) conference in Holland last weekend, the German newswire DPA carried reports that "computer security experts" had …
Win2k virus beats Win2k to release
Windows 2000 hasn't even been released yet, but virus writers are already hard at work. A new virus called Win2K.Inta - written by the 29A virus group – has been identified. Win2K.Inta was spotted by F-Secure – the anti-virus firm formerly known as Data Fellows. Mikko Hypponen, head of anti-virus research at F-Secure, said it is …
800MHz Athlons tip-up in Intel-AMD Desperation Derby
The race between Intel and AMD to win the race for the trophy of fastest x86 chip on the planet is a lot like UK major horse race, the Grand National. It's a long haul for both horses, spin jockeys and spectators with many cruel hurdles and jumps, at each of which the nags could well fall over and break their legs. But just when …
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