Dr. Vesselin Bontchev



Vesselin Bontchev is probably the ultimate authority on MS-DOS viruses today. His passion for accuracy and painstaking research ensure that a challenge to any of his statements runs a grave risk of being wrong. One of his many contributions to the field of antivirus research was the first truly comprehensive test of scanner identification of polymorphic viruses, such as those using the MtE mutation engine. The results of this massive undertaking was came as rather a shock when it was determined that even the best antivirals had room for improvement. (Ironically, this strict adherence to the truth in his field of professional endeavour has given rise, in some quarters, to a completely false impression of Vesselin as a humorless pedant. Nothing could be further from the truth, since a close reading of Vesselin's postings reveals a sharp, and delightful, wit.)

Originally from Bulgaria, Vesselin was a prime mover behind the creation of the Laboratory of Computer Virology at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. Later he made a significant contribution to the Virus Test Center at the University of Hamburg during his studies with renowned computer security authority Klaus Brunnstein. During the latter stages of his time in Germany, Vesselin wrote a paper pointing out the shortcomings in the InVircible program. This has made him a subject of consistent, bitter, and ongoing attacks from InVircible's author, Zvi Netiv.

Dr. Bontchev is currently employed by Frisk Software.


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