Security threats Toolkit

Story: Broadband boom makes UK worst for hacked PCs

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The problem, like many problems in the UK today, is that people are unwilling to take the consequences of their actions.

The average computer user in the UK, has no clue that connecting to the internet without adequate security measures in place is equivalent to walking around a wild-west town wearing a sign that says 'shoot me'.

The fabric of society is being slowly changed such that people no longer have to use common sense and act responsibly. If we carry on the way we are, we will have to station guards on every electricity pylon to prevent people climbing them, incase they electrocute themselves, manage to survive, and then sue for damages, or [insert obviously dangerous and life threatening situation, and an idiot willing to sue, here].

What I am getting at is this. If computer users were to be held responsible for the damage caused by their improperly secured systems, up to and including being held accountable as an accessory to fraud in the case of most computer crime (Yes, it is crime), then perhaps we would have a safer, faster network, to the benefit of all concerned.

Microsoft could help by not supplying gullible, inexperienced users with the computing equivalent of a chainsaw. XPSP2 was a start, but in common with most microsoft software, a buggy one at best, as any number of browser bugs can simply disable the firewall and download software, and the default out-of-the-box configuration makes all users administrators.

Ditto ISP's - If users want to be able to receive executables/incoming www/incoming smtp/etc, they should register to do so, otherwise the ISP has to assume the user is a drooling moron with no concept of security, and therefore has to be kept in a padded room incase they try and run with a chainsaw.

There is probably a market for ISP-managed systems in homes where the security management is performed remotely, and charged for on a monthly basis. The industry seems to want to work towards 'appliance' PCs, but doesn't seem to want to take this obvious route.

As for spammers, who attack my networks daily, I would like to see them shot, stapled, blown to bits, poisoned, electrocuted, mangled, munched, stomped, squished, pulverised, and killed, and then asked to leave the internet.

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