RE: Spammers exploit high-speed connections, careless users

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Chad W. Didier <cdidier () cdsupportservices com>

So they have antivirus and firewalls running. Big deal. Do you know
how many people I run into that have both but the antivirus is out of
date by a matter of 6 months? Or the firewall isn't configured
properly because frankly the end user has no clue what should have
access to the internet and what should not? 99% of the people I do
freelance tech. support for fall into this category. I preach, but do
they listen? Hell no! I'm not talking about only the single end user
at home. I'm also talking about multi-million dollar small businesses
who gawk at the cost of protecting all their systems and the cost
involved in maintaining that protection not to mention the
"inconvenience" factor. You can lead a horse to water but, I'll be
damned if you can make him drink.

No what needs to be done is since the big ISP's are so nosey to begin
with they can also scan their customers for indications of infections.
Once found that user or entire network should be blocked from
accessing anything other than a proxy that displays a single page
explaining why their access has been denied and offering a means to
clean/patch their system to regain access to the rest of the world.
Infections should be quarantined. It won't prevent initial infection
but it would severely curb continued infection. Forcing the customers
to clean and patch their systems would kill two birds with one stone.
Because ISP's fear they'd lose business over the issue it'll never
happen unless it is legislated.


Short of denying them access or a virus with a devastating payload
there will be no change in attitudes.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-isn () attrition org [mailto:owner-isn () attrition org] On Behalf
Of InfoSec News
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 4:56 AM
To: isn () attrition org
Subject: [ISN] Spammers exploit high-speed connections, careless users 


http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2004-02-16-zombie-men
ace_x.htm

[I've said it once, I'll say it again, the home and small business 
users of high-speed broadband internet services need a financial 
incentive to use firewalls and anti-virus. 

The only way that's going to happen, is to tell the users, if you use an
authorized firewall and A/V solution, you will pay less on your monthly
internet service than if you just plugged your cable modem into the back
of your computer.

Joe Sixpack doesn't care about internet security, he's too busy looking
for the latest version of Paris Hilton's movie to learn about the latest
worm clogging things up, I'm willing to bet people would be more willing
to save few bucks in the long run over having to teach them why you
really need a firewall and A/V software.  - WK]

-=-

By Anick Jesdanun
Associated Press
2/16/2004

NEW YORK - Next time you're looking for a culprit for all that junk mail
flooding your inbox, have a glance in the mirror. Spammers are
increasingly exploiting home computers with high-speed Internet
connections into which they've cleverly burrowed.

E-mail security companies estimate that between one-third and two-thirds
of unwanted messages are relayed unwittingly by PC owners who set up
software incorrectly or fail to secure their machines.

David Lawrence, 43, owns such a computer, which turned into a "spam
zombie" when a virus infected it in October. Five or six spammers were
using his cable modem to remotely send pitches for products like Viagra
and boosters for cell phone signals.

"Spammers and the people who write these viruses ... is their life so
void that they feel they have to mess up other people?" said Lawrence.  
"To me, it's criminal."

The self-employed businessman from Tifton, Ga., said he learned of his
computer's culpability when his Internet service got suspended. "I
called to find out what was going on because I knew I had the bill
paid," he said.

Lawrence is by no means alone.

Hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide have been infected by SoBig
and other viruses that are programmed to spawn gateways, known
technically as proxies, to relay spam. Though Lawrence had antivirus
software, he hadn't kept it updated.

It's ironic to the president of the security Web site myNetWatchman.com,
Lawrence Baldwin, that those afflicted by spam are also often its
couriers.

"That's further encouragement, justification for taking responsibility
for your own system," said Baldwin. "If you don't, you can be part of
the very problem you're complaining about."

Any Internet-connected computer could be running a proxy spam relay, but
most of the malicious programs are written specifically for PCs that run
Windows.

[...]



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