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Letter: Bug-free programs

Published 9 August 2006

From Richard Day

I fear that the world’s computers – at least those operating Windows – are a long way from being immune to attacks by most viruses (22 July, p 46).

In spite of the efforts you outline to thwart these attacks, virus writers will eventually change tack and write more flexible code to get round the new defences.

The fact is that most viruses take advantage of software bugs to attack machines. They would have a much harder time if programs were written without bugs in the first place. Writing computer programs without bothering to iron out the bugs is akin to a surgeon not sewing up a patient after an operation.

Burnley, Lancashire, UK

Issue no. 2564 published 12 August 2006

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