Re: Botnets, IRC servers and firewalls?

[Paul Robertson <proberts () patriot net>]

On Thu, 5 Feb 2004, Gadi Evron wrote:

> If I am allowed one off-topic half-joke:
>
> Perhaps we should work to issue licenses to users who want to use a
> computer? :)

Put a consumer machine on the Internet out of the box, and see what
happens- hint: It likely won't be another consumer's PC that compromises
it initially.

> Much like when a person wants to drive a car.

When you drive a car, your actions are different driving normally and
running over people on the sidewalk.  The "worst" thing a home user can do
is execute a virus or trojan- and the interface presents that in
essentially the same way as non-active content- that's not really an
end-user problem.  Take the execute bit off the place where attachments
normally get saved, and you'd remove a huge percentage of the problems.
We at some point must come to the place where "breaking" 2% of
functionality to save 98% of users is worth doing.

> As I always say. this may be applicable to ISP's being liable to some of
> their users' actions, if the law would dictate it.

No, it'd just make a legal mess where a single malicious bad actor could
bring down an ISP.

Paul
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul D. Robertson      "My statements in this message are personal opinions
proberts () patriot net      which may have no basis whatsoever in fact."
probertson () trusecure com Director of Risk Assessment TruSecure Corporation
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