Re: Recent Attacks

[Darren Reed <darrenr () reed wattle id au>]

In some email I received from Ryan Russell, sie wrote:
> > So are you suggesting that perhaps it is time software such as ISS, etc,
> > to not only be made available with strict controls over which targets
> > they can be used against (article about this went to bugtraq some time
> > ago) but also be required for those buying the product/license keys
> > in order to undertake such work ?  I think this is almost a inevitable.
> > I can't see why professionals would object to this - every `respectable'
> > procession has some sort of official "badging" which is required before
> > you practice in it.
>
> Because then if I want to write a tool, I have to take on the
> responsibility of serial numbering, licensing, probably some sort of
> insurance, etc.. which means I can't do it for free anymore, can't release
> source...
>
> It's going to squash the little guys.

> It may in fact be inevitable, but it sucks.

Let me get this straight, you've been writing small DDoS packages and
distributing the source code for them ?  I have probably strayed too
far in grouping ISS with them, but ISS/Cybercop include a vast array
of "buttons" which, in my mind at least, put them in a different class
to your scripts - sort of like comparing a pea shooter with the guns
the dog creatures get in 5th Element :)  The government here has come
very close to outlawing some of them...I can't imagine it'll be long
before others try :-/

Some of these DDoS tools could be deemed to be "cyber firearms".

Kids make bombs at home and look what happens - they blow up schools, if
not themselves.  (No, you don't need the 'net to learn how).  I imagine
if you set out to make a gun, then you'd need a license too*, but that's
something I'll leave to the expects - I don't want to put any unnecessary
holes in me by accident or otherwise.  Kids shooting up classmates, kids
bringing down the Internet.  What's worse, 20 dead + injured or loosing
$1.2 billion ?  "Only in America".

mmmm, stretching analogies :)

Darren

* - I don't know about this for sure, but you can't sell deail in them
    without one.