The menace within

Is BitDefender really staffed by Romanian vampire hackers...?

A recent report by the Associated Press claims that 'computer-savvy Romanians are fast emerging as a bold menace in the shadowy world of cybercrime', citing as part of its evidence the fact that more than 60 Romanians have been arrested in recent international operations concerning crime of an electronic nature.

While VB would advise strongly against making such blanket statements (and point out that the AV industry boasts many fine security experts hailing from Romania), VB was astonished that a spokesperson for Bucharest-based BitDefender made no attempt to refute the claim and, more surprising still, seemed to imply that the programmers within his own company would have been up to no good themselves but for having found gainful employment in the company.

In reference to BitDefender's programmers, Communications Manager Mihai Radu is quoted as saying, 'They can do anything. If they weren't working for us, who knows what they'd be up to.'

Without wishing to stir up any trouble, VB wonders what an effect this statement to the press may have had on morale within the company - and fears it might take more than a round of chocolate biscuits to pacify a room full of affronted AV researchers ...

04 November 2003

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