- Title: AUSTRALIA/PHILIPPINES: HUNT FOR CREATORS OF INTERNET VIRUS 'LOVE BUG' CONTINUES
- Date: 7th May 2000
- Summary: ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES (MAY 7, 2000) (REUTERS) SLV GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS SV (Soundbite) (English) PANFILO LACSON, ZAMBOANGA POLICE CHIEF SAYING: "No, not yet (arrest of suspect). We are following up, I think we have a suspect. (Reporter asking: How much evidence do you have?) I don't have the details right now, but they have identified a suspect. (Reporter asking: When are you going to make the arrest?) It's hard to tell, it's a moving target. (Reporter asking: They have identified a suspect?) That's the information I have from the police district, we are taking it very seriously."
- Embargoed: 22nd May 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA / ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINES
- City:
- Country: Philippines Australia
- Topics: Crime,Politics,Technology
- Reuters ID: LVA2CA2OLQJM1JUMS91AYBNNBFP6
- Story Text: The hunt for the creators of the Internet virus "Love Bug" has continued in Australia and the Philippines.
Police are searching for a German exchange student living in Australia who may be a suspect, while in the Philippines, police say a 23-year-old man living in Manila is soon to be arrested.
The hunt for the cyber terrorist began hours after the "Love Bug" virus was unleashed on the internet.
Experts who helped catch the Melissa virus say they believe the Love Bug creator is Michael, a 20 year old German exchange student in Australia.
They say the world's most deadly computer virus could have been written by more than one person over days or weeks, but that releasing it was frighteningly simple.
"Ultimately somebody could walk into an Internet cafe with a diskette, plug that diskette into the drive, and push the go button, and this virus could be all over the world in a matter of hours," said Dean Stockwell, a computer security specialist.
But so far Australian Federal Police say there has been no firm evidence to back up allegations the virus creator was in Australia.
In the Philippines however, Manila police say they have pinpointed the blame to a 23 year-old Filipino nicknamed Spyder, who is now under surveillance in Manila.
"No, not yet (arrest of suspect).We are following up, I think we have a suspect.But they (police) have identified a suspect.It's hard to tell, it's a moving target.That's the information I have from the police district, we are taking it very seriously," said Panfilo Lacson, the Chief of the National Police, who was visiting Zamboanga in the southern Philippines.
Police said they are waiting for a local judge to issue a warrant for an arrest.
The virus, which has wreaked havoc around the world, was activated in the Philippines through Access Net, a Manila Internet service provider, using two e-mail addresses in its prepaid Internet service network called Supernet.
Australian hacker experts say anyone capable of designing the virus, should know how to hide their tracks.
"It is difficult to pinpoint a particular individual, you might be able to determine where attack came from in terms of computer, but you have to put extra effort to determine that particular person on the keyboard typing away," said Eric Halil from Auscert.
Australian government fears it could face a hefty bill for damages inflicted by the virus.
It will put a lot of businesses back, it could run into hundreds of millions or more in damage, and obviously that will have an affect on productivity," said Treasury Minister Peter Costello.
Still, experts say, the legacy of the "Love Bug" will be a heightened awareness of cyber terrorism, as governments and business learn to cope with it. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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