Why do people create computer viruses?

they are probably the same people as trolls...except that organized crime seems to be moving into their territory.

Some do it for kicks, to prove themselves on the scene against other virus writers, some do it for malicious ends (such as using infected machines as part of a larger botnet, to perhaps extort money out of companies such as bookmaking companies, by blackmailing them for money on the brink of large betting events such as the British Grand National or threatening to bombard their webserver with so many requests it'd get bogged down and either fall over or perform very poorly for normal users (as did actually happen this year).

Others do it just to see if they can, some release variants of an already released virus using a virus toolkit, putting in their own personal messages or easter eggs for other tech-savvy people to see...

Some people do it just to see if they can, like there's a challenge that's there and they have to see if there's any way they can do it. Some do it to prove a security vulnerability - but the people who tend to do this, and not try to inflict any damage or abuse the vulnerability are generally the white hat hackers, who merely code proof-of-concepts for a vulnerability, inform the vendor of the software then release their code on the Internet for all to see. That's when the malicious users get their hands on the code behind the vulnerability compromise, and subvert it for their own ends.

I don't know. I could never understand the destructive mentality.

They are bored and have nothing better to do with their lives.

A not so obvious reason is that is a good way to spred Spam. It called botnet or a favorite term “zombie”. Like right out of a bad b meat grinder movie you read the title “My Mothers Computer is a Zombie”

Wikipedia states that a zombie computer (often abbreviated zombie) is a computer attached to the Internet that has been compromised by a Hacker, a computer virus, or a Trojan horse. Generally, a compromised machine is only one of many in a "botnet", and will be used to perform malicious tasks of one sort or another under remote direction. Most owners of zombie computers are unaware that their system is being used in this way. Because the vector tends to be unconscious, these computers are metaphorically compared to a zombie. Infected zombie computers are now the major delivery method of spam.
Zombies have been used extensively to send e-mail spam; as of 2005, an estimated 50–80% of all spam worldwide was sent by zombie computers.[1] This allows spammers to avoid detection and presumably reduces their bandwidth costs, since the owners of zombies pay for their own bandwidth.
For similar reasons zombies are also used to commit click fraud against sites displaying pay per click advertising. Others can host phishing or money mule recruiting websites.
Zombies have also conducted distributed denial of service attacks, such as the attack upon the SPEWS service in 2003, and the one against Blue Frog service in 2006. In 2000, several prominent Web sites (Yahoo, eBay, etc) were clogged to a standstill by a distributed denial of service attack mounted by a Canadian teenager. An attack on grc.com is discussed at length, and the perpetrator, a 13-year old probably from Kenosha, Wisconsin, identified on the Gibson Research Web site. Steve Gibson disassembled a 'bot' which was a zombie used in the attack, and traced it to its distributor. In his clearly written account about his research, he describes the operation of a 'bot' controlling IRC channel.[2]

Because they can be easy to make but can also be challenging! Most virus writers now are about 14yo and do it just for kicks!

These are the people who get cheap thrills by hurting others. +3

In the early days of computing many of the viruses and malware were written by “script kiddies” usually smart young kids who needed a hobby, they created viruses that would do silly things like opening and closing the cd trays it was a form of vandalism. If there was a virus on your computer back then you would know it.

These days viruses, spyware, and malware are often associated with criminal gangs and are all about the making money. One way they do this is controlling thousands of computers and creating a single “Botnet” which can be used to extort money from website owners using “denial of service attack”. A DOS attack basically makes the website nonfunctional or very slow due to the amount of useless traffic that is sent by the Botnet of zombie computers. Here’s an example how this technique can be used, lets say you owned a online store and your busiest day is Christmas Eve and the bad guys know this so they contact you and say “If you don’t give use x amount of dollars by tomorrow your site will have a very unfortunate accident on your busiest shopping day of the year”.

Much of the spam that we receive in our email inboxes come from zombie machines with the owner totally unaware that his computer is being controlled for evil deeds.

Viruses can also be used to track personal information such as credit card numbers, banking information and other personal information that can be used for very bad things.

In my opinion I think people create and spread computer viruses because they can, and because they want to seem more powerful and intelligent to their other user. I also think people create viruses as a challenge for themselves and people even compete comparing which virus is stronger and can do the most damage. I also think that those kind of people are probably rebellious and don’t understand the consequences for their actions.
But not all viruses are made to cause damage, some anti- virus companies’ program viruses in order to create their anti- virus software to destroy and protect computers from a virus; this is what keeps them in business and the people who work for these anti- virus companies in their jobs, but it is also bad because there shouldn’t be viruses to begin with.

There are hundreds of thousands of viruses out there (if not millions) and they often designed for different objectives. Most of them fall under the following categories:

•To take control of a computer and use it for specific tasks
•To generate money
•To steal sensitive information (credit card numbers, passwords, personal details, data etc.)
•To prove a point, to prove it can be done, to prove ones skill or for revenge purposes
•To cripple a computer or network

why do trolls troll?

So that they or others could create the anti-viruses to combat the viruses created earlier.

so that they can make money off the anti-virus software you have to buy when you get the virus

I do it for ze Schadenfreude (german for laughter at others expense).
Other reasons could be black mailing, recovering information, or because they can. Because it's a challenge... because it's a mountain to climb.

They create it only for money........
Even i have doubt that only antivirus companies writes viruses

they do it 4 fun. IDK! im not one of them. Why make a website with a virus! They dont get money if they do!!!!

They are cowardly, pathetic people who feel abused by society.

These days most viruses are created by the large anti-virus software companies in order to discredit each others' products in a form of open commercial warfare. The zombie and botnets are still right in there, but their stuff usually has an easily detectable footprint, and last of all, there are still those tiresome little nobodies whose only power-buzz comes from either spray-canning other peoples property or doing the same thing cybernetically.

* to take control of a computer
* to generate money
* to steal sensitive information
*to cripple a computer or network


micaella b funtanar :))

Cause they can. It's probably fun to them. Like if you know how to use a magnifying glass to light leaves on fire you try it don't you?

to be assholes

i want to make money

Created a few myself back in the day. It's really just a warped sense of fun that gets out of hand but for some it's a release and way of getting back at the world for others it a way of getting money.

Where's there's destruction to be wrought there’s people to participate in it I suppose.

Because they have nothing better to do, and like Tempus said they want cheap thrills

To create in their own minds the illusion of significant impact.

* to take control of a computer
* to generate money
* to steal sensitive information
*to cripple a computer or network


micaella b funtanar :))