SImon Hobson

Cumbria

IT

Peter Lewis writes: "Although I can understand the wrath of those who would hang, draw, and quarter 16 year-old virus writers, don't these people also display an appalling ignorance of their own computer systems? Where were their backups? Were their anti-virus systems up-to-date?"

Well speaking for myself, at work we have up to date AV (as up to date as you can get when infections can spread faster than the AV companies can update the signatures and distribute them), and we have backups. That doesn't stop computers getting infected during that window between infection release and AV countermeasure, and it doesn't stop the cost and hassle of dealing with broken systems. Oh yes, and not to mention the cost of the AV protection and ongoing updates.

Your comment is like suggesting that we shouldn't criticise someone for stealing a car - after all, the owner will have insurance so what's the problem ? Isn't that all a backup SHOULD be for ?