So what is the big deal with duplication? In the case of the “Grey Goo” item replication resulted in a denial of service (DoS) due to database loads. Outside of that, in virtual worlds, items hold a value. Just as it is in the real economy value is determined by demand or rarity. If I can flood the market with perfect copies of your virtual product then I can drive down demand by making it less rare or I can sell my copies for much less and undersell you. In Second Life, this could lead to legal consequences as the users hold the intellectual property rights to items they create. If a user is in the virtual world on a directed business initiative, the employer may hold the rights depending on the employment contract or agreement.


There is much to gain by embracing a growing population of virtual world users, but there is nothing virtual about the business consequences of a lapse in judgment.



Jeff Surratt, CISSP MSIA, has seventeen years of experience in IT and information security. Jeff holds a degree in Internetworking Technology from Strayer University and a Masters degree in Information Assurance from Norwich University.