p2pnet.net News:- Canada’s University of Calgary is to introduce a computer science ‘how write spam and spy software’ course.

Does this mean it’s decided two of the worst aspects of the Net are, in fact, desirable?

Not in the least, says instructor John Aycock, quoted by the CBC.

He already teaches a virus ‘how-to’ class, but not so students can go out there and start creating baby e-worms to burrow through the Net.

Rather, “The idea is for the students to learn how these things propagate, how they are created, how they interact with the system and that sort of thing,” says Aycock.

“Then we turn around and say, OK, here are these things you’ve created; now we write the anti-software and figure out how to fight against them.”

With that in mind, this fall he’ll be adding a similar course on spyware and spam, “even though some in the computer industry don’t like his approach,” says the CBC.

Aycock acknowledges the potential for viruses and other malicious software to spread outside the classroom, hence the security cameras and outside electronic equipment ban.

Furthermore, “Each student signs a legal form that says a breach of the security means an automatic ‘F’ and a potential criminal investigation,” adds the CBC.

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See:-
John Aycock – University to offer e-mail spam course, CBC, February 5, 2005

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 6th, 2005 at 6:49 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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