Free computer virus

[johntalin]

Free computer virus finds willing victims
Wed. May 23, 9:56 AM ET

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Computer specialist Didier Stevens put up a simple text advertisement on the Internet offering downloads of a computer virus for people who did not have any.

Surprisingly, he found as many as 409 people clicking on the ad saying "Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!" during a 6-month advertising campaign on Google's Adword, said the IT security expert.

"Some of them must have clicked on it by mistake. Some must have been curious or stupid," said Mikko Hypponen, head of research at data security firm F-Secure.

There was no virus involved, it was an experiment aiming to show these kind of advertising systems can be used for malicious intent, Stevens told Reuters.

 

[iKitten]

Some of them must not have read past "Is your PC virus-free?"

 

[MinaMACMan]

Curiosity is just amazing ain't it??

 

[MikeYMS]

That's a lot of dead cats, MinaMACMan

 

[Cassifire]

Some of them must not have read past "Is your PC virus-free?"

Virus free? Does anyone have a link to this wonderful program?

Yes, that was sarcasm

 

[MinaMACMan]

That's a lot of dead cats, MinaMACMan

Yeah, you ain't kidding. Well, unless they had a Mac ;D

 

[Tak]

I wish they had kept track of how many were windows users.........

 

[MinaMACMan]

That would have been hilarious

 

[MaDDoG]

Viruses are not free....you have to spend money to buy a computer in order to get them

 

[fleurya]

Does anyone have the link???

Either people have been this dumb all along, or the internet is really dumbing us down. Take your pick.

 

[Brown Study]

Either people have been this dumb all along, or the internet is really dumbing us down. Take your pick.

People have been this dumb all along. Imagine if P.T. Barnum were alive today. He'd have started some company called Microsoft and hoodwinked the entire planet.

This way to the egress.

 

[Stefan]

There was no virus involved, it was an experiment aiming to show these kind of advertising systems can be used for malicious intent, Stevens told Reuters.

It's only malicious if you're dumb enough to actually click on it..

 

[ibookclamman300]

It might have even been some mac users trying to test their security.