Concerns Raised as Virus Writers Publish E-Zine

A group of hackers described as “prolific” virus writers by one analyst has published its first e-zine, raising concerns that the portal will fuel a new wave of malicious code and virus variants. According to security intelligence firm iDEFENSE, hackers who call themselves GEDZAC, or Zoneavirus, recently published the ‘zine, titled Mitosis, which contains source code for a dozen viruses and tips, such as how to avoid detection by antivirus software. Ken Dunham, a senior intelligence analyst at iDEFENSE, says the fact that the group is organized enough to publish the ‘zine is significant. “Most malicious coding groups fall apart or fail to progress to that level,” Dunham says. Dunham says the code will “invariably be used by a script-kiddie or individual learning how to create malicious code,” likely resulting in faster development of new variants and “powerful blended threats.” Full Story