A Polluted Internet

A Polluted Internet
Kelly Martin, 2004-08-26

Worms and viruses that pollute the Internet aren't new. What's new is the incredible magnitude of the problem and how it's growing.

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Is the Internet dying? 2004-08-27
Anonymous

Please refer to this colum, also.
http://www.cavebear.com/cbblog-archives/000051.html...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-27
Anonymous (2 replies)

"About 95% of the world runs Windows on their desktop. That won't change in the corporate world to a significant extent any time soon. Deal with it."

Deal with it, meaning, put up with it.

"...he state of the Internet today: more polluted than ever, and getting worse."

"I am finding it incr...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-29
Anonymous (1 replies)

Don't blame the manufacturer of the seat belts. They work fine. The problem is that people drive without their seat belts, and if the car has an airbag installed, they remove it. I'm quite certain that they DUI also.. ;P...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-07
\\`izard

Timeout. I belive the term you guys are looking for is "Willful Negligence".
So allow me to expand on the seatbelt example. In order to liability, you would have to prove to a jury that the manufacturer of the car (a) knew their design/production was flawed and (b) willfully ignored it. I'd lov...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-05
Anonymous

I AM dealing with it - I have a MAC... a good firewall, and I've never had any problems except huge dictionary attacks on my mail server, but not anymore.

Thanx to my friend, and the Open Source Sendmail, I'm able to stop those as well. Every "attempt" at mailing us at an invalid Email ad...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-27
Anonymous

So whine about it.

Or better - do something about it.

Don't run Windows.

Problem solved....

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-27
Anonymous (1 replies)

Keeping quiet about alternative OSes, like my favorite eComStation, just adds to the problem. The extent of vulnerabilities available on these alternatives may be an unknown, but we already know how good Microsoft is at stopping the flow from Windows machines (new as well as old). We should get out ...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-27
Anonymous (2 replies)

Saying don't run windows is a lot easier than actually not using it. Corporations especially are locked in to Windows by the programs they have to use. And even if there are linux/unix based programs that do what they need, the tremendous cost of OS redeployment is a big problem for them....

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-01
Anonymous

Don't forget training costs, and lack of productivity til everyone is up to speed.

One thing, saying Microsoft is horrible security wise is just an out. I do not want to start a flame war over microsoft vrs linux, godzilla, or the lockness monster, but consider this, no operating system is sec...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-05
Anonymous

I disagree - not if done over a gradual amount ot time. True, migration is expensive. But to have a gradual migration plan over time is a very cheap solution. Start by getting a Linux box next to your WinBlows box. Gradually move over to it.

This solves the learning curve problem. Makes ...

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It's People.. 2004-08-28
Griggs

While it's easy to focus on the tangible (software vendors & careless users) I personally feel that the problems and corresponding solutions reside with people. Yes, that's right..people. If you take a step back and see the Internet for it's nodes you'll realize that it's all created and controlle...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-29
Anonymous

I love these conversations, because security and the "pollution" of the internet is such a huge issue today. I who have an alternate OS am safe, and wish that more people would not use Windows. I don't mean to bag on M$ it is just that there are too many Aunt Bettys who know nothing about computers ...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-30
Anonymous

First of all, this is not a new phenomenon. If Security focus and it's glorious content editors would come up with new things, and not mention that there is something as worms and viruses out there.

Monoculture has its pro and cons. MS could make the protocols secure, but lest we forget that ev...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-30
Anonymous

My Linux-using friend throws unspeakable curses
at what he calls "Windows traffic hitting his
firewall." Says they can't really hurt him yet
but it's irritating anyway.

I guess that flying below the radar can still
get you spattered by ricochet....

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-30
Anonymous

good read.

Spelling correction:
powering the machine down. It love it. Simple, elegant...

should that be 'I'?...

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"People shouldn't have to be computer experts to own a computer" 2004-08-30
Anonymous (2 replies)

YES THEY SHOULD! OK, so now we've stated both the untenable positions, let's look at the reasonable middle position: people are happy to use computers without having the slightest idea what they are doing, yet we demand certifications for tons of other activities: driving a car, installing electrica...

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"People shouldn't have to be computer experts to own a computer" 2004-09-03
Anonymous (1 replies)

In an ideal world, we would all have oodles of time to read all that wonderful stuff and get up to speed. Further, we would all have brains that deal well with technical and mechanical stuff. But not all people do have the time, let alone the ability. How about the master artist painter who fetch...

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People should have computer skills when using a computer 2004-09-07
Mene Tekel

Your reasoning doesn't hold water. People find the time to take driver's lessons and learn what's needed. They find the resources that can teach them. Why should it be any different for computers?
Sure, you shouldn't need any certificate to drive a car in your own back yard, or a computer on you...

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"People shouldn't have to be computer experts to own a computer" 2004-09-06
Anonymous

I have too agree knowledge is your best and first line of defense.After all this is a technical science.....

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tarpit != counterattack 2004-08-30
Anonymous (1 replies)

A tarpit is a defensive measure. It does not attack the attacking machine, nor does it "remov[e] the infection" or "shut the machine down". Please ensure you have your terminology straight before trying to educated the masses....

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tarpit != counterattack 2004-09-01
Kelly Martin

No, a tarpit is not a way to counterattack, although it can still wreak some havoc. But there are other ways to counterattack if you are so inclined. Maybe you should start with a honeypot.

http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1740 ...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-31
JustDisGuy (1 replies)

Assuming for a moment that the pollution analogy is correct, then let's look at the correct way to solve the problem.

We currently spend millions or billions of dollars 'cleaning-up' oil spills, chemical spills, toxic waste or whatever when it escapes into our physical environment. Do we then ju...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-08-31
Anonymous (1 replies)

No, the analogy you are making is off-base. Its like suing the owners of a toll highway because someone who refused to learn how to drive rearends someone and causes 20 car pileup. You don't hold a transport provider accountable for the actions of transport users when it is negligence of those use...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-01
JustDisGuy (1 replies)

To use your toll highway analogy, we're not talking about suing the owners of the toll highway for people rear-ending others - we're talking about suing the owners of the toll highway for failing to paint lines on the road, put up traffic signs and install safety barricades.

I happen to subscribe...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-01
Anonymous

Actually, all Joe Public needs to do is learn a tiny little bit. They should be expected to (and held accountable for failing to) learn some simple safety rules.

A computer science degree or operator's license shouldn't be necessary. It isn't necessary to provide physical restraints so that J...

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A Polluted Internet 2004-09-01
Anonymous

Hmm.. maybe your modem is also flickering because of broadcasts on the network?
I have that too.. not much malicious traffic here.....

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what's your point? 2004-09-01
Anonymous (2 replies)

This was an unusually long article for one that doesn't actually say anything.

What's the point? Use the terms "worm" and "pollution" when talking to laymen? You could have said that in one sentence.

Feels like there should be a second half....

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what's your point? 2004-09-01
Anonymous

I think the point was "computer users don't have the capacity to understand how to use their computers, lets punish the companies who provide them with Internet access because they extend too much freedom to their customers".

Internet providers are already being punished, the costs associated wit...

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what's your point? 2004-09-01
Anonymous

The point was that worms as old as (or older) code red are still circulating in the wild. Many worms use a random IP selection for their next target. More and more layers of worms that are "still circulating" are building up, with no end in site. For a 56k modem user, this could mean one day that...

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A Polluted Internet: Computers are Tools, A Means to an End 2004-09-03
Anonymous

There are hundreds of millions of people on Earth who use computers for all types of often legitimate purposes. Many use computers as a tool, just as in the days of the IBM Selectric Typewriter. (Does anyone even remember what one of those looks and sounds like?) Tools are a means to an end, not an...

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A Polluted Internet - sure it's pollution? 2004-09-03
Anonymous

Are you sure that what your seeing traffic wise is pollution? A tcpdump of my traffic shows the continous blinking lights you see are in fact arp requests, not worms and viruses.

...

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