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The author of a computer virus which disables security software and steals online-game credentials received a four-year sentence on Monday, and nearly a dozen job offers, according to Chinese press reports.
A Chinese court found virus writer Li Jun guilty on Monday of writing and releasing the computer virus known as Fujacks by antivirus companies and as "Panda Burning Joss Sticks" in China.
A company hit by the virus has offered the writer the position of technology director at a million yuan, or more than US$130,000, a year, after hearing that the man only created the virus because he was frustrated with his lack of luck in finding a job, according to the Changjiang Times. Nine other companies have also offered Li positions.
The jumble of job offers has perplexed some antivirus companies.
"It's important that the IT community does not send out a message that writing viruses or worms is cool, or a fast track into employment," Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, said in a statement on Tuesday. "Li Jun broke the law and infected innocent people's computers and websites, causing financial damage. To reward his criminal act, infamy and bad behavior with a job offer in the IT industry seems frankly perverted."
Li is not the first cybercriminal to raise security experts' hackles by being offered a job. A member of the well-known virus-writing group, 29A, landed a job with Czech technology firm Zoner Software in 2004. A year later, the convicted creator of the Netsky and Sasser worms, Sven Jaschan, found a job as a programmer. And this month, a former security professional who was convicted of creating an Internet worm in 2000, landed in court for a second time on charges of running a large identity-theft scheme.
Chinese virus writer Li Jun made 145,000 yuan, a seventh of his potential starting salary, by selling his virus program to online thieves, prosecutors told news reporters.
Source : Securityfocus.com
Jailed virus author gets prison, job offers..
Jailed virus author gets prison, job offers..
2007-09-27T02:23:00-07:00
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