[Taken from the Damage INC Newsletter Volume 2, Issue #14 : 26/02/99] INTERVIEWS AND INTERROGATIONS - {INTERVIEWS} An interview with Metabolis. = BLACKENED Metabolis' answers and comments are underneath what I wrote. - Introduce yourself to the readers of the Damage, INC. Newsletter... Once upon a time after several failed attempts at creating groups, I decided it was time to attempt an entry into the virus scene. I chose the name VLAD and set out to find me some codeslaves who would make it so. It was 1993 and I was on several warez boards, so I sent out some messages asking if anyone might be interested in joining up. I received a message from a sysop telling me he knew a guy who might be interested. Eventually I got to mail the guy (Qark) and he became the first vlad coder. At that time I had no knowledge of x86 asm myself, and it wasn't till a year later when Qark sat down and schooled me that I actually coded something semi-worthy for the mag myself. My "position" in the group was the editor and leader. I kept everyone motivated and whipped butt till I got enough together for an issue. Two or three virus groups were active in Australia at the time. AIH (Australian Institute of Hackers) and NuKE are the only that come to mind at this time. There was also a coder by the name of Terminator Z (Harry McBungus/Talon) who later joined the group NuKE pretty much before they died out. His viruses still make up the largest amount of infections within Australia. Sadly he passed away of a heroin overdose two years ago. - How long have you been involved in the virus scene? What were some of the memorable virus exchange (VX) nets that you used to post in? In the early days we used to post to NuKEnet and fidonet's VIRUS_NFO and VIRUS_INFO. We stopped posting after a couple of years as things kinda died out what with the sudden emergence of the internet in everyone's homes. - When was VLAD started? How was the group formed? Why did you decide to start a virus zine? What was the main purpose of VLAD magazine? Did you choose the name Virus Laboratories and Distribution for any significant reason? The main purpose of the VLAD magazine was always to educate. Our stance on writing no intentionally destructive code was dissed originally as most coders at the time really got into data trashing. We achieved our fame through superior coding techniques not through fear as the NuKE group harnessed. I can't really remember why I chose the name VLAD (Virus Laboratories & Distribution).. I think I was just looking for a recognizable word that started with V. heh. - How much did VLAD change and evolve since the first issue was released? And what was the response like when Bizatch, the world's first Win95 virus was released? From issue one of the magazine to its end we set ourselves challenges. From writing the first tsr win3.1 virus, to the hugely media hyped win95 virus Bizatch (which was named Boza by the AV community). Unfortunately with the rush that usually occured around release time and the fact that most of the source is rather uncomprehensible to anyone other than the author quite a number of VLAD viruses were released with bugs. Still, the advances that we made were picked up by coders worldwide and the virus scene flourished just as we did. - As the editor of VLAD, did you find it difficult to get people to write articles, send in virus source and contribute art, etc.? No. :) I dunno, it's just something I seem to be good at. - What do you think VLAD accomplished? Was the overall experience enjoyable for you? All I wanted out of VLAD really was something I could be proud of in the future, and I think I achieved that. There were good times, and there were also bad times. For some time I immersed myself in the internet and the furthering of VLAD, and neglected to get on with anything else. I have no regrets. - What do you think of the current AV community? Also, what do you think of people that ripoff source code and claim they wrote a unique virus? The antivirus community as it stands right now I'm not really aware of. In some sectors there is perhaps greater recognition for the coding skills virus authors have. But there are also the "ah, they're just a bunch of punk kids.." still around. I wouldn't say things have changed much at all. It all comes down to the dollar and that's what they're after. If they have to create a hype about a virus which will not infect hardly anyone at all just to create more software buys, they will do it. As for people who rip code and claim it's their own, I think the same applies in any field of coding. Demo, unix, whatever.. it's plain lame. - Where are issues of VLAD available to download? How can you be contacted? The VLAD homepage is currently located at http://www.virusexchange.org/vlad You can email me at meta@virusexchange.org - Are you still actively involved in programming viruses or the virus scene in general? I hang around like a bad smell, but I'm not really all that active. - Which virus groups and zines, if any, do you respect? Phalcon/Skism and Immortal Riot/Genesis were the only two groups providing any real competition at the time VLAD was in full swing. The group Trident also deserves a mention. - If you wouldn't have started VLAD, which virus group would you have wanted to join? I don't join groups. I create them. You know what they say, if you want something done properly.. do it yourself. ;) I wouldn't have learned to code assembler if I hadn't formed VLAD so I probably wouldn't have joined any group. When we first started we had no contact with any other virus groups at all. - Do you want to share any memorable virus related stories and experiences? The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper once reported that VLAD was a team of over 50 people. - Do you want to mention any VX boards that you call/called or people in the scene that you know? Some greetings.. (it's 7am and I haven't slept all night, I can hardly remember my own name atm, if I miss you.. know that I still love ya) Rhincewind (get in touch man!@), Antigen, Absolute Overlord, Darkman, Coke, Quantum, Qark, Priest, Memory Lapse, Retch, Sepultura, Automag, NCL, The Unforgiven, Omega, Dark Fiber, Australian Parasite, Halflife, Ripmax, Levski, Rebyc, CaptZero, TheFloyd, Gatton, Subcube, Euclid, Stormbringer, Dark Angel, Napoleon, Shaman, Rilo - Are there any other comments you want to make about the virus scene or anything else that you want to mention? April 10th 1997 Clinton Haines RIP aka Terminator Z/Harry McBungus/Talon I'm proud to have known him, and will never forget. - Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed Metabolis. VLAD was one of my personal favourite zines to read. ;) And to all of our readers that aspire to become proficient assembly programmers, check out issues of VLAD and study the source code. Even if your goal isn't to learn how to code viruses, you can still learn many valuable techniques such as how to utilize the ports for reading/writing, encryption, 386 code, etc. Their viruses also demonstrate how to program nice, small, tight, assembly code...