At one time, virus writers were considered by fellow hackers to be near the bottom of the heap. Not anymore. With increased security in Microsoft Outlook 2002, and better heuristics in today’s antivirus software, viruses must be more sophisticated in order to spread–and those who can write them are gaining standing among their peers. As a result, experienced hackers who really know how to program are trying their hand at viral code. We’re already seeing the effects of this trend. While 2002 was notable for its lack of new e-mail virus outbreaks, already this year several sophisticated worms, such as the recent SQL Slammer, have appeared. By the end of 2003, I expect e-mail viruses to become as rare as macro and boot-sector viruses. But in the meantime, we should get ready for a summer of complex and effective new worms. Full Story