China works on standards to define "vicious software"

China will soon have detailed standards to help the people avoid harm from "vicious software," according to with the Internet Society of China.

A panel of software manufacturers, experts and consumers has been set up to define the characteristics of vicious software that may spread viruses or stalk people through the Internet, a source with the society said Friday.

Once the standards are established, all vicious software will be blacklisted and made public so that domestic companies can be alerted to potential harm.

The standards will also be used as part of a self-discipline pact to straighten out the Internet industry.

With the fast development of Internet applications, many countries have started to establish unified standards against vicious software. In the United States, an anti-spy software alliance was initiated by the country's software manufacturers to contain the use and spread of spy software.

Since Internet users in China have surpassed 100 million, experts said that it was an urgent task for the country to establish effective and feasible industrial criteria to standardize the activities of domestic companies and individuals.

Source: Xinhua