Interview with Putoksa Kawayan
[HexFiles Zine Editor/Creator]
By Zoom23 / PVW #4
[December 1998]

What is your Handle/Call Name Group affiliation and why did you chose it?

> I go by the name Putoksa Kawayan. How did I come to choose that name? When I started writing viruses, I thought of something that you would not mistake for a nationality other than Filipino. I first thought of Lantaka, bamboo cannon, because it comes with a bang :) But, it could still be mistaken for Chinese or Japanese. So I choose something closer to that which is Putoksa Kawayan, or, literally, blast from a bamboo. I joined "putok" and "sa" into one word so that it would look nice. That's the long and short of it.

> I am not a member of any virus group but I will support any Pinoy virus group or anything Pinoy in the net, for that matter.

When did you got interested in computer underground/virii programming?

> When I was in high school I learned to write programs in assembly on my own. I relied on books and some codes in mags. But it doesnt really teach you everything. The only readily available assembly programs that you could unravel without bothering your conscience are viruses. Thats how Possessed of Gumba became my teacher. Since assembly is very boring at first, I have to think of a motivation to continue with the learning process -- create my own virus.

What programming languages are you most likely to work with?

> I am most comfortable with assembly and I like writing programs in that language. Have you heard about that ad on tv - "I've got the power". That's how I felt with assembly.

Who or what group influenced you most?

> I don't think anyone in particular has influenced me. Although, at the start it is Possessed of Jonjon Gumba which thought me how to go about things in assembly.

> But when you read codes, viral or non-viral, you get ideas from them, whether you like it or not. Its something like that subliminal thing. Your brain is like a sponge that absorbs everything you read. (Whether what you read goes out through the your ears, is another matter.) What you see and read would influence you somehow, some way.

What group/author/works you like best?/recommend?

> If you are Filipino and wanted to join a virus group, I suggest you join PVW.

> Cut that crap about forming your own group. This is a fast changing environment. People come and go. Wouldnt it be nice that a Pinoy group is still up there when the original people who put it up is no longer coding viruses.

Do you think virii writing is just a teenage thing?

> Black Baron of SMEG fame is not. I think V2PX author, (Is it Washburn?), is also not a teenager. But you have to accept the fact that most virus coders are about that age.

> What usually happens is that after you finish school you get to find work and when you work you have less time. After finding work, you get married and have a family. (It is different if you get someone pregnant. It messes up the turn of events.) As time passes by, your priorities changes. You find less time for things like virus coding, if not no time at all. You are trying to make a living. That I think is the reason for that teenage thingy. Its all about priorities and time.

> In due time, you and me, would also go that way.

When did you first started writing HEX Files and why?

> I released HEX-FILES No. 1 on the third or fouth week of December 1997. I started on this late October or early November, but most of it were done December of that year. But it was a rush rush because I wanted it out before 1997 ends, for no particular reason. It was released through the web sites of Cicatrix and Guillermito, from both of whom I got lots of things -- I did hatak and hatak.

> When I first got into the net, I found my way into pro-virus sites. There, I got hold of viruses which I only saw in the virus lists of avs before. After looking at them, I said that my virus are better than some of them. So I decided to come out with what I have written. The zines I know of is mostly by virus groups. Since I have no intention of joining one, why not have one of my own. I patterned the zine after 40HEX, which I like.

> At that time, there were no Filipino virus group nor zine. Local virus authors have only one course to make their works known, by releasing it in the wild. I am presenting them with another option, just as what PVW zine does.

What viruses have you written lately?

> I haven't got the time to work on something lately. It is not that hard to write a virus. But what is hard to do, is to make your virus different, in a way, from the others.

> The last one I did was Kontragapi. Although June12.Sentenaryo came after that, it is not my own. I only rearranged and streamlined June12.

> What I'd like to do is write something not encrypted and all those AVs couldnt find it. I'd also like to do a 32-bit infector but couldn't afford to do it. Got nothing to test it on. I got no back up and no install disks. BSA would come running after me if they learn my Windows is a certified original copy from China courtesy of my friendly neighborhood computer shop, of course, at a price.

Ever tried in the field of hacking/phreaking?

> No. At present, I have no interest in that field.

With the influx of many virus generators what can you say about the quality on these virii or the virii at wild today?

> Virus generators are good only for those who do not know how to write their own virus or are too lazy to create their own. The only construction kit generated virus you would see in the wild are those created by macro kits. And, there are good macro kits out there.

> For DOS viruses, I have seen some generators and I didnt like them. But it's a different thing for encryption engines, which should not be classified as generator.

> The only drawback for kit generated viruses is that they are easily detected by avs.

> But for those who dont know how to write a virus, it's a miracle.

> What is sucky for one person might be a wow! for another.

Any parting words?

> I have no plans yet of leaving the virus scene. So let us put aside that parting word until the day I say paalam to the virus scene. :)

> I know what you mean but lets leave it as it is. :)

> Putoksa Kawayan

> phvx@hotmail.com
> http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/shrine/2073/