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| Chen Ing-Hau, the author of the CIH virus. |
Chen Ing-Hau, the author of the infamous CIH virus, has been
detained by authorities in Taiwan.
The virus, which triggers on the anniversary of the Chernobyl
nuclear disaster, caused over $250 million damage in South Korea
alone last year, infecting a quarter of a million computers
according to government reports.
Chen Ing-Hau was initially questioned by military authorities in
Taiwan in April 1999, but escaped punishment because,
extraordinarily, there had been no complaints from Taiwanese
companies. He subsequently won a job at a software company on the
back of his infamy.
A Taiwanese student who was hit by the virus when it struck
again in April of this year has now filed charges against Chen
Ing-Hau, prompting his arrest. If found guilty he could face up to
three years in jail under destruction charges.
"It is encouraging to see the authorities in Taiwan take the
damage caused by viruses such as CIH seriously," said Graham Cluley, senior
technology consultant for Sophos. "This sends a strong message to
virus writers that they will not escape punishment for their
actions. IT companies should also realise that virus writers must
not be rewarded for their efforts with lucrative jobs. They may
think they are getting a computer 'genius', in fact they are merely
employing someone with the inclination and ability to write
relatively simple yet highly destructive code."
For more information on CIH virus visit Sophos Virus analyses:
W95/CIH-10xx.
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