Interview with Spooky
by Cicatrix
[August 1997]

How did you start out in computers?

I started about 3 years ago when I got my first comp... I didn't know anything about computers (yer I didn't know how to close a windows program... that has changed :o)

How and when did you start out in the virus scene?

About a half year after I got my comp I got my first virus (it was the parity boot II)... I was fascinated how it could replicate itself... at this time I learned my first programming language (BASIC :). I have also written my first virus in basic!

Then I bought a modem so I got access to a lot of BBSs and to the internet! where I learned to know a lot of intesting ppl in the VX scene... yer thats it...

Have you written viruses? If so which would you like to take credit for?

Yes I have written about 20 viruses + lots of test viruses!(and I'm still writing more!). Some of their names are Dark Priest, Schitzophrenia, Sunrise, Spooky 1-3,...........

How do you name your viruses?

Hehe thats a good question! The biggest problem for me is to find a cool name for my creatures! Sometimes I need hours to find a name for them! I think to find a name for the virus is harder then to program it!

Which programming languages do you know?

I began with Q-BASIC (because it was included with MS-DOS), then I learned PASCAL and a bit of C/C++. I began asm when I found that "Dark Angels Funky Virus Writing Guide" on a local BBS (nowadays asm is my most used language!).

I also used WordBasic to write my viruses but since office 97 came out I don't use it anymore....
In the last few weeks I began with JavaScript and PERL to improve my webpage a little bit...

What programming language do you like using the most?

Assembler! Because you have full control over the system! There is nothing that could be better then asm!

Are you a member of a VX group?

Yes... I'm the leader of the Power Empire and of the PE Virus faction...

Which AV software do you like/respect the most? Which the least?

I think Thunderbyte is the best! I use it to test my virii with its heuristics! I know that it has a lot of "bugs" (many false alarms!) and it can easily be fooled! (take a look at my heurist 1 and 2 viruses! :)

I think the worst AV program is solomon-AV! I'm not sure because I don't use it! I and a friend were reading the solomons-virus-infos, they thought that micro-128 is a nonTSR virus (maybe solomon didn't notice that micro128 hiddes it's code in the interrupt table :). Also it didn't find my virii, at the same time mcafee, f-prot, tbav and maybe others could already detect them!

What are your goals (VX wise)?

To learn more and more and more....

What is your view on the continuous 'war' between VX and AV.

I don't think about that... I write my virii for fun and to get more knowledge about computers,... I don't care about what the AVs think...

Where did you get you handle? What does it mean?

I got it from the "spooky Fox Mulder"... I know that "spooky" is not a name... but SPo0ky is a name! :o)

What is your view on Virus Creation software (eg. VCL, PS-MPC etc.)?

I hate ppl who only use virus kits to create "their" virii!!! to use a kit for learning or if you need a specific routine is ok...

What is your view on macro viruses vs. assembly or HLL viruses?

Most asm viruses are out of date (because of billys fuckin win95 shit) I think that macro virii are ok because a lot of ppl use ms word and shit like that and it is easy to learn (I needed only some hours to write my first macro virus)!
Anyway... macro virii are much better then HLL virii!
Nobody can write a real good virus in any high level language because hlls doesn't give you full control over the system and it is much too big and too slow!!!

Have you ever confirmed one of your viruses 'in-the-wild'?

Hmm... don't know!

Which VX E-zine do you like to most? Which the least?

VLAD is my favorite! It has a lot of new techniques!
Which the least? ... none...

Which individual or what group do you like/respect in the VX world?

The ppl from VLAD are very good!

In the AV world?

Uh... nobody!

Which individual or what group do you like/respect outside the VX or the AV world?

My girlfriend! :o)

What is your view on destructive payloads in viruses?

I don't like destructive payloads! Payloads with graphical effects (..) are ok but payloads which overwrite sectors on hdds (..) are shit!

Do you think there is such a thing as a 'good' virus?

No...

What do you do in 'real' life?

Real life??? What's that? :)

Do people outside the VX scene know what you do (parents, girlfriend etc.)?

Yes! Everyone knows that! Some ppl (mostly school friends) don't like it because they don't know anything about my virii! They think that all virii are bad and destructive!

Do you do other computer stuff outside VX (Hacking, phreaking, warez etc.)?

I use my computer for school too... but mostly for hacking/(virus)programming...

Should viruses be illegal? Is there a difference between creation and spreading?

I think there is no difference if it is legal or not! If I write a virus no one could notice it... thats why it is useless to make it illegal...

"difference between spreading and creating?"... hmmm... it's ok if you write a virus ... but it's shit to infect others with it!

Describe the perfect virus.

100% undetectable! :)

What is your view on Windows (95)

It's the best virus I've ever seen! Whenever I try to clean it my scanner crashes!!!

What is your advice for people just starting out?

Reading, reading, reading,... I learned writing viruses (in asm) from reading 100's of virus source codes!

Where can you be reached if at all?

Currently at spooky@work.at and spooky@cso.free.at...

Any greets?

Yeah to my old school friend OBI / the 2nd best virus writer in austria :) He is also known as 666, piss christ, sci_clone... Hell he had so many names... He could never find the right name for himself! :)

Any other comments?

Kill the lamerz!!!

Short responses to the following names or words:

    - Dark Avenger:         psychopath
    - Dark Angel:           cool virus guides!
    - Fridrik Skulason:     great AV software (but tbav is better)
    - Alan Solomon:         fuckin AV software
    - WordBasic:            the 2nd best language to write a virus
    - VDAT:                 great collection of infos about us :)
                            but a dos Version would be better!!!
    - VSUM:                 a great collection of infos about our creatures :)
    - Assembler:            the best language to write a virus
    - NuKE:                 one of lots of others
    - Phalcon Skism:        once it was the best group
    - VLAD:                 GOD?
    - Immortal Riot:        nice magazine!
    - Polymorphic:          useful
    - Stealth:              same
    - I hate......          AVs
    - I love......          my new girlfriend
    - Internet:             I hate it because of my phone bill :-)
    - IRC:                  I don't use it alot...
    - World War 3:          soon!

From what part of the world are you?

I'm from Austria (btw - I hate it's politicans!!!)...

Would you ever release a virus creator?

Sure! But currently I'm too lazy to write such a thing!

What is in your future and the future of the Power Empire Virus Faction?

Currently I don't know how long I will stay the leader of the PE / PE virus faction...