I'm calling for a Global Botnet Destruction Week

[Tech Manager]

The net is in serious trouble. The total number of viruses is expected to exceed one million by the end of 2008. Identity theft continues to be a problem, as Botnet armies steal passwords, financial data, credit card numbers, social security numbers and every piece of personal and business data they can get their bits and bytes on. SQL injections and Cross-Site-Scripting attacks continue to plague person and commercial websites as bots and criminal syndicates target vulnerable websites. Botnets like Srizbi, Cutwail, Bobax/Kraken, Ozdok/Mega-D and Storm Bot continue to run roughshod over the globe. It is time for a complete overhaul of global computing. We need to reboot the internet.

The rest of the article

I would like your opinion on the markedly far-fetched idea presented in the article. I think it is time for netizens everywhere to fight back. We need to eliminate the current infected systems, vulnerable websites. etc.

Your thoughts?

[DaveSawers]

Every time someone suggests regulation of the internet, the freedom lobby stick their noses in and complain loudly, saying everyone has the inalienable right to be a criminal if they so choose. I never did understand that argument!

Personally, I think the ISPs should be doing the regulation and end users should be paying for it. ISPs can organize things to ensure their customers are secure from botnets, do not download copyrighted or any other form of material deemed illegal in their country of residence. They can also stop spam being delivered.

Infringement of liberty, maybe, but the alternative looks like it will be a dysfunctional internet. Expecting end users and amateur website developers to be sufficiently educated so as to prevent exploits and attacks is simply unrealistic.

[AVC]

I fight botnets daily, but you can only win with automation, webmasters need to get on board with Distributed Spam Harvester Tracking Network | Project Honey Pot since they are the only firm with advanced technology to fight back and win this battle against spam botnets.

[kgun]

Finally all my children with a Pc use the Opera browser. They have had enough trouble.

[Tech Manager]

Originally Posted by AVC

I fight botnets daily, but you can only win with automation, webmasters need to get on board with Distributed Spam Harvester Tracking Network | Project Honey Pot since they are the only firm with advanced technology to fight back and win this battle against spam botnets.

What advanced technology are you talking about? projecthoneypot.org offers some excellent tools when they're site isn't under maintenance (which it has been suffering from, of and on, for the last several months), but I wouldn't exactly refer to data gathering from honeypots as advanced technology. I mean no offense as I truly like using projecthoneypot.org at time

Spamhaus.org does an excellent job in tracking many botnets. Spamcop.net also provides a decent service.

Automation is certainly required to resolve many of the issues. But in order to destroy existing gloabl botnets you need to eradicate the syndicate from the infected machines. I will be the very first to admit that the feasibility of reformatting every machine on the planet is quite remote. But until we rid systems of existing infections we are never going to have a healthy internet

[kgun]

You avoid 80 % of the problems using:

1. The above mentioned browser.
2. Surfing as an user.

Don't click on and download everything and you avoid additional 15 %.

I have not seen a virus in months and if I see one, I restore the computer to an older state or reformat and reinstall in one day in the worst case.

[Tech Manager]

Originally Posted by kgun

You avoid 80 % of the problems using:

1. The above mentioned browser.
2. Surfing as an user.

Don't click on and download everything and you avoid additional 15 %.

I have not seen a virus in months and if I see one, I restore the computer to an older state or reformat and reinstall in one day in the worst case.

KGUN is 100% correct. Unfortunately not all of the vulnerabilities are in the browser. There are myriad sources of attack. The best practice is to use the best practices in all your computing.

[AVC]

Originally Posted by Tech Manager

What advanced technology are you talking about? projecthoneypot.org offers some excellent tools when they're site isn't under maintenance (which it has been suffering from, of and on, for the last several months), but I wouldn't exactly refer to data gathering from honeypots as advanced technology. I mean no offense as I truly like using projecthoneypot.org at time

Spamhaus.org does an excellent job in tracking many botnets. Spamcop.net also provides a decent service.

Automation is certainly required to resolve many of the issues. But in order to destroy existing global botnets you need to eradicate the syndicate from the infected machines. I will be the very first to admit that the feasibility of reformatting every machine on the planet is quite remote. But until we rid systems of existing infections we are never going to have a healthy internet

No one is doing a better job than ProjectHoneyPot.

Have you put their code on your sites ?

Do you use their data to stop botnets from accessing your servers ? I do.

I agree that Microsoft machines infected with spyware and viruses give spam botnets zombie machines and IP's to work with, but that is Microsoft's problem, they are responsible for Trillions in losses and if held accountable for the data and financial losses their liability would exceed their market capitalization.

[activeco]

Originally Posted by DaveSawers

Personally, I think the ISPs should be doing the regulation and end users should be paying for it.

ISPs are delivering companies and it shouldn't be their job to control the packets for illegal content. We have police and justice for that.
Better protocols and OS solutions should solve unwanted bots, mails, viruses and unauthorized access, but then the governments would be deprived of the ways to invade privacy, so it's not in their interest.

[Tech Manager]

Originally Posted by AVC

No one is doing a better job than ProjectHoneyPot.

Have you put their code on your sites ?

Do you use their data to stop botnets from accessing your servers ? I do.

I agree that Microsoft machines infected with spyware and viruses give spam botnets zombie machines and IP's to work with, but that is Microsoft's problem, they are responsible for Trillions in losses and if held accountable for the data and financial losses their liability would exceed their market capitalization.

How do you know that "No one is doing a better job than ProjectHoneyPot."?

I told you that ProjectHoneyPot offers some excellent tools. Would you be offended if I told you I am not currently using their code on my sites, but am instead testing and using my own proprietary code?

Do I use their data to stop botnets from accessing my many servers? Once in a while.

Your last comment is a matter of your own personal opinion so there is no need for me to comment further.

I am a professional Information Technology Manager and it is not my intention to get in a pissing match with you over how much you like projecthoneypot.org. I like them as well, but I don't rely on them in any large degree. This should not be construed to suggest that they offer less than stellar service.

Network , server, computer and website security requires a multifaceted approach in order to provide the highest degree of efficacy in your environment. I've detected many bots, hacks and spammers that did not appear on projecthoneypot.org. I didn't detect these because I am smarter or better than any of these services, I detected them because the malicious traffic likely hit me before it hit a honeypot; thus the need to exercise diligence.

[AVC]

Would you like to develop a real time web application tool ?

I am looking for a partner in a project if you have the skill to code the site.

[Tech Manager]

Originally Posted by AVC

Would you like to develop a real time web application tool ?

I am looking for a partner in a project if you have the skill to code the site.

I would love to hear more. Send me some details.

[DaveSawers]

Originally Posted by activeco

ISPs are delivering companies and it shouldn't be their job to control the packets for illegal content. We have police and justice for that.
Better protocols and OS solutions should solve unwanted bots, mails, viruses and unauthorized access, but then the governments would be deprived of the ways to invade privacy, so it's not in their interest.

I'm not the only one who thinks ISPs should take more responsibility. The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) says the same thing: BBC NEWS | Technology | Spam fighters lay down gauntlet

[AVC]

I agree, data centers should be fined and held liable for allowing spam botnets access to their networks, the FBI has arrested some major operators, but US data centers such as ThePlanet and Layered Technologies still sell dedicated hosting to Russian and other offshore hackers and spam botnets.