Lately the number of virus collecting / trading groups and individuals has increased substantially. Apparently many people enjoy collecting computer viruses and the "hunt" that comes with it. Several virus collecting / trading groups have followed VTC's example and are exchanging logs and viruses.
Why this sudden explosion of computer virus traders? I guess there are several reasons: The recent Melissa and Chernobyl (CIH) media hype/scare has certainly contributed to it. Maybe many see it as "the next best thing" to physically writing and spreading viruses, and all the press coverage definitely caught people's attention in the last couple of months. The initial reaction I observed in the "scene" to the arrest of Melissa's author was one of "run and hide". The closure of Source Of Kaos initially put a big dent in the computer virus scene but slowly sites are reappearing on new locations. All this must have attracted the attention of several would be collectors because the viruses are flying across the web. I have also noticed that some virus writers decided to "lay low" for a while and I guess to keep in contact with the "scene" they decided to "just" collect viruses.
The question now is if this spike in virus trading will last. There are only so many computer viruses out there that are readily available. After a while collections tend to stagnate which often leads to less trade. Unless new sources are found I believe that many of new virus collectors / traders will quit after a while and slowly disappear. Also this surge in virus trading is a two edged sword, sometimes someone gets lucky and stumbles on a stash of new viruses, but on the other side the "battle of the scanner logs" tends to increase the number of junk files floating as well.
As collectors / traders we are mostly dependant on AV companies. They often have the biggest and purest collections and they determine what their programs detect and identify.
This page combines the trading and collecting information available in VDAT. I also decided to separate Virus Writing Groups and Virus Trading Groups since although their subjects might be the same (computer viruses), their objectives are not.
From my editorial (2000):
"The recent explosion of the number of virus traders has certainly muddied the waters of virus collecting. The number of websites offering virus trading has almost quadrupled in the last couple of months and it seems that this growth will continue for a while. It has not done the core goal of virus collecting much good. A lot of junk is being traded and personalities, morals and values have clashed. It is one of the reasons I have decided to lay low for a while, I have had enough of the bickering and name calling. When I started collecting viruses ratios were used just like now, but ultimately when push came to shove much more was shared than now. People were often inclined to help the new guy on the block, now it almost seems virus trading is like the stock market: a matter of plusses and minuses"
Tools
Suggested tools and utilities to use while trading and collecting:
Essays & Papers
Some have written about trading and collecting viruses
Collecting Computer Viruses: Fun or Folly? (Cicatrix)
The Art of Virii Collecting (Tally) (Revised December 1999)
Virus Trading Scene: Let me 'splain
Analysis and Maintenance of a Clean Virus Library (Bontchev)
The CARO way of naming viruses
Groups / Individuals
Name: VTC
Origin: International
Status: Disbanded
Not actively producing viruses this group started as an attempt to regulate
the exchange of new viral material between some major computer virus collectors.
It was one of the first groups that actively started to trade viruses and
their collection has grown quite large mainly because they get support from
all corners of the world and the scene. After the group disbanded the members
continued as independant collectors/traders.
The main site site can be found here
while member sites can be found here,
and here [December 1999].
: Virus Trading
Center
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Virusbuster | Slagehammer |
| Tally | Shadow Seeker |
| Cicatrix |
Publications: VTC Newsletter
See: Interviews (Virusbuster [1])
See: Interviews (Virusbuster [2])
See: Interviews (Slagehammer)
See: Interviews (Tally)
See: Interviews (Cicatrix)
Name: X-Vex 2000
Origin: International
Status: Disbanded
Group's note:
"X-Vex 2000 has revolutionize since April 7th 1999. First started as a team of 2 members, and now already having 5 members. We have came so far in the trading world and learning new concepts in virii management as well as coding. Even we do not have a big collection, but we have learned alot during the process of trading with others. We don't trade for a living. Besides that, we surf the net to gain more knowledge, even as it is for computing or for normal research purposes. Learing the art of computers is one hell of a adventure. Its fun and also can be boring. "After the group disbanded some members continued as independant collectors/traders.
The main site site can be found here
while member sites can be found here,
here, here
and here [June 1999].
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Babyvirii | nfission |
| Duke | Zordhak |
| Furkon |
Name: Virax
Origin: Unknown
Status: Unknown
Individual that can be found here [April 2000]
Name: Mr. Spooky
Origin: Austria
Status: Unknown
Founder / member of the much maligned Codebreakers, Mr. Spooky is apparently "laying back" from writing viruses. No recent activity has been observed.
Name: Buddy Music
Origin: Germany
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Newton
Origin: Switzerland
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Stramonium
Origin: Italy
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Homeslice
Origin: USA
Status: Active
One of the "old hands" of virus trading. Around since the mid-1980's. His site can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Phage
Origin: USA
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Thermopyle's Lair
Origin: Unknown
Status: Dormant
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Roadkil's Virus Cafe
Origin: USA
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Sph1nx Virus Trading Corner
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Virus Trading Post
Origin: Unknown
Status: Unknown
Individual that can be found here [April 2000]
Name: Bio Coding Dungeon
Origin: Unknown
Status: Unknown
Individual that can be found here [April 2000]
Name: Titanics
Origin: India
Status: Unknown
No recent activity has been observed.
Name: Tally
Origin: USA
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]. Former member of VTC, creator of Tally's Virii Link Reference (online) (VDAT), Virus Keeper, author of The Art Of Virus Collecting and contributor to VDAT.
Name: GGnome
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]. Releases sorting utilities (VSort and Nome Weeder).
Name: Zulu
Origin: Argentina
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]. Creator of the Bubbleboy virus.
See: Interviews
Name: Apoc
Origin: Germany
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: MIONS
Origin: Czech Republic
Status: Unknown
Group that can be found here [April 2000]
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Mimi | Worf |
Name: Algol
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Cyphonix
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Daniel
Origin: USA
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [April 2000]
Name: Perikles
Origin: Italy
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Specter
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: VirusP
Origin: Greece
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Raenius
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Szule
Origin: Hungary
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [May 2000]
Name: Staggle
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]
Name: Quilb
Origin: Unknown
Status: Retired
Individual that apparently retired, no recent activity has been observed.
Name: Snake's Layer
Origin: Unknown
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]. Member of IVCG.
Name: Pastol
Origin: Philippines
Status: Unknown
Renewed activity has been observed. Individual that can be found here [August 2000].
Name: Black Cat Virus Exchange System
Origin: Hungary
Status: Active
Individual that can be found here [August 2000]. The creator of the VSNG collection tool.
Name: Internet Virii Collecting Group
Origin: International
Status: Active
Former Zordhak Viri Team that can now be found here [August 2000]
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Zordhak | Snakeman | Blackdeath |
Name: HVO
Origin: Unknown
Status: Unknown
This group specifically trades computer virus source codes. They can be found here [April 2000]. No recent activity has been observed.
Group's note:
"HVO is a new virus programming group, we thought that since there was no or hardly any virus source code trading centers, we thought we'd make one!"
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Thermo | Dr. J |
Name: VCA
Origin: USA
Status: Dormant
Virus collecting/trading group that can be found here
[July 1999]. VEiN continues as a solo collector here,
he releases the WinSort sorting utility and posts a site with virus collecting
utilities here.
:Virus Collectors
Anonymous
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Vein | Abyss |
Name: Virus Dungeon
Origin: USA
Status: Disbanded
Virus collecting/trading group that has disappeared/been disbanded (Like
so many others). Black Death was also part of the IVCG
while Thermopyle still trades solo. Black Death (aka
CRC3rror) has retired.
:Virus Collectors
Anonymous
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Black Death | Thermopyle |
Name: Zordhak Viri Team
Origin: International
Status: Renamed to IVCG
Although this group mainly collects and trades computer viruses some members have produced / released their own viruses . They can be found here [April 2000].
Known Members (Past & Present):
| Zordhak | Janus | Elf |
| Flyshadow | Parshuram |