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Stack OverflowIs there a standout programming language to write a virus?
[+13] [5] pencilCake
[2009-11-17 13:30:15]
[ language virus writing popular ]
[ http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1748880/is-there-a-standout-programming-language-to-write-a-virus ] [DELETED]

Just for curiosity; I wonder what is the most popular programming language to write a computer virus?

May the most popular one could be considered as the most capable for manipulating vital data and sources?

Thanks

This should be interesting :) - malcmcmul
@LarryLusting I think it's Руссиан aссемблер = Russian assembler - Secko
@Larry: haha. What about Chinese ? - neuro
[+4] [2009-11-17 15:40:53] neuro

A long (really long) time ago that was assembler. Smallest footprint and you can do anything you want. I'm curious about the opinion of today's hackers ;-)

Of course I'm no virus maker. Just old memories about 80's ...

my2c

PS: By the way, I remember an interesting "game" that provide a sort of virtual machine. Each player had to code a "virus" in assembler. The winner is the one that erase the opponent code. Excellent. If anyone has a link ...


(4) This? corewars.org - tarek
Love that game, check it out if you havent! - mizipzor
@tarek : Yes ! I think it's that ... I've coded the virtual env from the code given in a mag (yes, no internet at the time !) and I remenber the "redcode" name ... I had to check history but it seems to be the same thing. Thank you for the link ... @mizipzor: My last try was 20 years ago ;) Well I feel pretty old, these days ... - neuro
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[+1] [2009-11-17 15:42:21] Woot4Moo

Create some rando commando powershell scripts, those things irritate me beyond belief.


(1) that would never work. on most systems, powershell requires some fiddling before it really works... - djangofan
pity :( I see you enjoy django - Woot4Moo
Made me think about some "utils" a colleague keeps trying to make me use. - Phil
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[+1] [2009-11-17 16:25:30] Spike Williams

Visual Basic for Applications used to be pretty popular, back when it was common to attach macro viruses to Microsoft Word documents.

In general, I think high level languages working at the application layer have an excellent capacity for virus-like mayhem. Cross-site scripting using JavaScript, while not a virus, does exploit a similar type of weakness.


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[0] [2009-11-17 16:11:20] djangofan

I don't think this question really hurts anyone. One thing that I always wonder about though is that there are like 10+ major virus detector softwares out there and they are ALL competing with each other and they all know a LOT about viruses and so you'd think they are all creating the viruses themselves in order to put the other guy out of business... Am I crazy?


(1) Almost certainly, yes - skaffman
Yes and no! There is always a dark side, yes. - Secko
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[0] [2009-11-17 16:16:17] Secko

A computer virus (harmful being) can be written in almost every programming language.

Most popular languages are C/C++ and Assembler programming language.

There have been (still are) many script languages used for this purpose, but those harmful beings that came out of it are called worms.


Viruses try to destroy computers. Worms try to propagate. Worms can be coded in any language. You are wrong. - tarek
@tarek Read this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus - Secko
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