The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Lights, camera, infection: HACKERS get Bollywood makeover

Virus comedy-thriller but no sign of Angelina Jolie, boo

Agentless Backup is Not a Myth

Bollywood producers have announced plans to make a malware-themed movie.

The comedy-thriller titled Mickey Virus is set in Delhi and the plot revolves around hackers and computer virus infections. The film, due out later this year, will reportedly star local TV anchorman Manish Paul in his big screen debut.

It's unclear how the song-and-dance numbers that are a hallmark of Bollywood will be woven into the flick. The actual business of computer security research involves poring over pages of disassembled code and hexadecimal, fiddling with debuggers, late nights and many other activities that aren't particularly telegenic nor cinematic. Western TV and film about cybercrime are often off-base, preferring to summarise malware attacks with rapid bursts of typing followed by 3D animations indicating success.

Real-world computer crimes have inspired films: for example Subject: I love you was loosely based on the Love Bug worm outbreak. Instead of featuring global email server meltdown, as in real life, the film depicted the malware as a means for two young lovers to reunite.

"Let's hope that Mickey Virus does not glamourise or trivialise hacking and malware creation too much," said Graham Cluley, senior security consultant at Sophos, in a blog post about the upcoming flick. ®

Customer Success Testimonial: Recovery is Everything

Ah

The Fifty Thousand Volt Horizontal Foxtrot.

6
0

The plot revolves around hackers and computer virus infections.

So 90 minutes of a guy doing a SQL injection attack followed by a sysadmin doing a restore from backups.

3
0

Re: Graham Cluley...

Though he didn't make a song and dance about it.

2
0

More from The Register

 breaking news
BBC-featured call centre slapped with hefty fine for unwanted calls
PPI pests: Swansea-based firm stung for £225k by ICO
Microsoft to open Windows Stores inside 600 Best Buy locations
Product showcases 'must be seen to be believed'
 breaking news
What did the Lehman Brothers implosion look like to a techie?
Insider tells all about the Gnab Gib at Lehmans
 breaking news
The only Waze is Google: Ad giant tipped to gobble map app 'for $1.3bn'
Pac-Man-satnav-ish upstart in bidding war with Apple, Facebook
 breaking news
1-in-10 e-tomes 'are self-published'... most are 'rubbish' says book ed
Publishing man scoffs at go-it-alone writers, ursines still fouling in forests
 breaking news
Facebook RSS reader said to uncloak June 20
Secret event scooped by Scottish developer?
 breaking news
O2 averts strike action over mass Capita outsourcing deal
Details of new agreement not yet released