SURREY, B.C. - Cyber crime has a new enemy.

Simon Fraser University launched an International Cybercrime Research Centre on Tuesday, saying child pornography will be its first target with a type of "good virus" that scours systems with the tenacity of a chomping Pac Man character.

"In the same way that a bad virus works by infecting machines, by hunting for certain symbols, so a good virus can operate in much the same way," said the centre's new director, Robert Gordon. "Like Pac-Man, actually starting to destroy particular forms of imagery on the Internet."

Gordon said they are already experimenting with the virus in some operating systems.

There are about 14 million pornography websites in operation today, and B.C. Labour Minister Iain Black pointed out it's estimated there are about one million child abuse images contained inside those websites.

"I am very, very pleased the centre will be working to protect children," Black told a crowd gathered at the Surrey, B.C., campus of the university.

Black announced provincial government support of $350,000 to help set up and operate the centre, as well as secure data and purchase lab equipment.

The B.C. government operates one of the largest Internet networks in North America, with 750,000 users.

While child pornography and identity theft are considered the most serious cyber crimes, the centre will also do research on criminal harassment through the Internet, money laundering, economic crimes and computer viruses.

Black compared the problem to the many-headed creature Hydra in Greek mythology.

Read full article on Cnews Canoe

By Terri Theodore
08/July/2008

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Last update : 15-07-2008 06:09