The Big Game: Who's on our side?

I recently helped a friend of mine remove malware from their computer when she be one mused on how lonely my job must be. "It must be so weird for you, to be one person against malware." My friend says odd stuff like that all the time, so this should not have stuck in my craw. But it struck a nerve and got me thinking, and as a polite person, I did not mention anything.

The best way to describe the landscape of those that try to stop malware and those that write, distribute, or make money off of it is a game. And yes, I know that saying it is a game trivializes it a bit, but the other example is that of a war, which is much too dark. Besides, I don't mean a game that children play, I mean a game such as a game of chess. The good guys versus the bad guys, in a game where there are no real winners or losers. Because "winning" means that we have the advantage, but there will always be a response to our advantage.

So, who are my allies? Who are the people I can trust to help win the game?

There are two distinct groups that fit the bill.

1. Antivirus writers and companies: Those who work or run one of these often know quite a bit about malware in one area of malware. Together, with several knowledgeable people, the antivirus or antimalware software can be a big asset to the rest of us. They write tools that we can use to effectively remove malware. Without them, we would be forced to remove malware manually, which is a much slower and harder process to go through.

2. Independent Researchers, and Removers: We will start with researchers. These people watch the internet for appearance of anything that may be malware, they test the malware in a safe environment to make sure that it is malware. Then they send samples to antivirus and antimalware companies so that they can make sure that their product detects and removes the malware. One way or another, Independent Removers get wind of it via friends in Researchers or antivirus/antimalware companies. If conventional antivirus software cannot detect the malware, removers offer their services until they can.

So, as you can see, I'm not alone. I am one of many people. I am one part of a big group which functions better as a whole. Divided, we may be able to do a small part, but together, we can just possibly win the unwinnable game. And for those that know about malware, the seed is planted in them. One way or another, they can help as well. This is why I blog, along with a few others who feel the same way I do about malware.

Thank You for reading, if you have any questions or comments, be sure to use the comment form below.