Author of Chernobyl virus arrested

Chen Ing-Hau initially escaped arrest because no companies filed charges. A Taiwanese student struck by the virus in April has now complained to authorities, prompting the arrest.

Ing-Hau's notoriety after the initial Chernobyl attack led to him being offered a job with a software firm.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, welcomed the arrest. He said in a statement: "This sends a strong message to virus writers that they will not escape punishment. IT companies should realise that virus writers must not be rewarded for their efforts with lucrative jobs. They may think they are getting a computer 'genius'. In fact they are merely employing someone with the inclination and ability to write relatively simple, yet highly destructive, code."