Re: The Morris worm to Nimda, how little we've learned or gained

[Michael Brennen <mbrennen () fni com>]

On Fri, 11 Jan 2002 Rudy_D_Pereda () mail dbf state fl us wrote:

> Folks, you can continue beating this dead horse, but the fact of
> the matter is that people, businesses, government need a
> catalyst to make them think differently about things. This thing
> can be hardening security, flawless OS/application designs,
> etc.... whatever you wanted to be.
> ...
> Likewise, I think for everyone to take security seriously in the
> technological realm of computers, networks, etc... some thing
> major will first have to happen that impacts everyone(internet
> users, companies, government) and lingers in their minds for
> sometime. As we all know, time mends everything and people, on
> the most part, forget or want to forget unpleasant happenings.

There have been many such catalysts this past year to alert people
that their networks and data are at very high risk.  If Code Red,
Nimda and such don't fit the profile you describe above, what event
would you expect to be sufficient to do so?  The McAfee office in
Dallas was down for at least a day and a half in Dallas when Nimda
hit; that was one office.  If such a breach isn't sufficient to get
the attention of management, what is?  If Microsoft's network being
penetrated, which was fairly widely known, isn't sufficient signal
to companies running the same software that the same could happen to
them, what would be?  If the FBI's data being randomly mailed around
doesn't scare someone that it could happen to their own data, what
will it take to sink in?

Will it really have to happen that some high profile company's
network be totally obliterated by a virus/worm before others decide
to make radical changes so it doesn't happen to them?  We are
fortunate that Nimda didn't propagate itself and then destroy its
host, or just that would have happened around the world.

For those that are paying attention, there already have been
sufficent signals.  Many still have not understood, as the viruses
have been eventually removable.  For those that have not yet
understood, for whatever reason, it probably will take a complete
meltdown of their own equipment.  And I don't want to think about
that scenario, because if it happens to one, it will probably happen
to many, and the result could be chaos.  Nimda shows just how
possible this is.

   -- Michael

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