Viruses on The Internet

[Camo]

I am a resident of Texas but I am currently attending university in Illinois.

I have had the idea to create a website that allows for users to pay for a custom made virus. The user can choose what the virus does, etc. It is automatically generated by the website after their selection is done.
I want to stress that this virus is NOT malicious. It does not steal data, intellectual property, money, or any of the infected user's intellectual property, files, etc.

The viruses will have functions like opening and closing their CD drive, random beeping, rotating one's screen at random intervals, placing random text files on the desktop with random titles and contents, opening a web page at random (no illegal or explicit web pages either). Basically, these are not viruses created to harm others, as much as they are made to prank your friends.

I was wondering if I would run into any legal trouble doing this? Thanks.

-Camo

 

[quincy]

I am a resident of Texas but I am currently attending university in Illinois.

I have had the idea to create a website that allows for users to pay for a custom made virus. The user can choose what the virus does, etc. It is automatically generated by the website after their selection is done.
I want to stress that this virus is NOT malicious. It does not steal data, intellectual property, money, or any of the infected user's intellectual property, files, etc.

The viruses will have functions like opening and closing their CD drive, random beeping, rotating one's screen at random intervals, placing random text files on the desktop with random titles and contents, opening a web page at random (no illegal or explicit web pages either). Basically, these are not viruses created to harm others, as much as they are made to prank your friends.

I was wondering if I would run into any legal trouble doing this? Thanks.

-Camo

Yes. You could get into legal trouble creating a website that allows users to pay for a virus that can infect other computers.

One man's prank is another man's supportable lawsuit and/or criminal complaint.

I suggest you direct your energies elsewhere.

 

[TheGeekess]

On top of that, those 'prank virii' have been around the Interwebs since before AOHell was big.

 

[quincy]

Not getting into the computer crime laws of each state, here are links to 18 US Code §1030 - Fraud and related activity in connection with computers, followed by the Department of Justice manual on Prosecuting Computer Crimes (just to drive home how very very bad Camo's plan can be for Camo and friends if implemented):

18 US Code §1030: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030

DOJ, Computer Crimes: https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/criminal-ccips/legacy/2015/01/14/ccmanual.pdf