[RTC List] 60 Minutes story: The Internet is Infected

[Josh Koenig]

Hrm. IMHO 60 Minutes is not really a "reliable" source of information
about technology. Smells like a ratings ploy aimed at an audience that
skews towards the less tech-literate.

> I am
> amazed that we are at the moment losing that battle - and that more isn't
> being organized on the international level among governments similar to
> international public health policies, laws, and enforcement.

Think about what that would actually mean in practice. Then think
about whether you every want anything to be plausibly private (insert
your standard ESCHALON exception here), or even remotely Free.

The net as a meta-organization is generally quite good at
self-regulating without a lot of top-down direction or interference.
As a vector for attack, it's like any other critical infrastructure:
roads are also used by evil and insane people for bad purposes, but
that doesn't mean we need checkpoints every few blocks. Etc.

cheers
-josh

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 4:47 PM,  <jankrpln at humboldt1.com> wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> I am very surprised to not find anyone posting to the RTC list today,
> anything about last night's "60 Minutes" story describing among other
> things:
>
> - 15,000 new viruses created every day.
> - Symantics now sends their virus updates out every five minutes.
> - The Russian connection to malware (young hackers and no enforcement).
> - The Conficker virus, currently residing in 10 million computers focusing
> on corporations (in some for months) and awaiting instructions for
> something on April 1st.
>
> This fascinating story can be found at:
>
> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/27/60minutes/main4897053.shtml?source=mostpop_story
>
> When a credible source like "60 Minutes" does this sort of story something
> is going on.  To me Internet malware seems like the gorilla in the room.
> It is analogous to the Presidential Daily Briefing in August right before
> the tragic events of 9/11.  A top-to-bottom review should be ordered by
> governments and also by technology companies.  The Internet has already
> been used in association with terrorist activities and warfare (recent
> cyberwar actions from both sides when Russia sent troops into Georgia in
> August).  Does anyone doubt that the Internet is not a target and a
> vehicle for great damage done by terrorists and sociopaths?
>
> I personally don't think anything will really happen April 1st, but I am
> amazed that we are at the moment losing that battle - and that more isn't
> being organized on the international level among governments similar to
> international public health policies, laws, and enforcement.  Viruses and
> worms are apt terms indeed.
>
> Jan Kraepelien
>
>
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>



-- 
--------------------
Josh Koenig, Partner & CTO
http://www.chapterthree.com