Botnets! Ever increasing Threat!!

[Guest]

[Frosty Port]

What most people (who are not using a firewall today) will need is an effective out-of-the-box product that gives them protection without questions to be asked.

I understand this is probably not the easiest to develop, but what good is a firewall to the general population as they click "yes/accept" to any pop-up they receive. (like my dad does....after having experienced that his internet connection was blocked after his first "deny").

Harry

yes that is what a FW should do is block the connection now as for it being a permanent block that is for the user to decide there is a box that says always remember all that has to be done is uncheck the box and on the next start up it will run again that is the users of the program responsibility to learn how to use the program but most see a warning and freak out and do not take the time to read the warning the program is only doing what it is told to do the feature is there just some do not know how to work the programs and get mad and remove it or turn it off or just ok every thing     

[Burillo]

a partial answer is developing very extensive default ruleset. That is - automatic configuration for common software like browsers, IMs, e-mail clients, known security software, media players (i'd advice a default-deny policy for media players since i've read some stuff about numerous attacks through WMP's *.wmv vulnerabilities), VoIP apps etc. Combined with an autoupdating IP blocker with known-to-be-malicious sites this could keep an average Joe secure and unannoyed with popups. Of course, with an option to disable these default rules. A good idea would be adding another option in "more options" with "Default template" AND making it selected by default (NOT the OK button). But that's more of an UI question.

[marcos.zy]

a partial answer is developing very extensive default ruleset. That is - automatic configuration for common software like browsers, IMs, e-mail clients, known security software, media players (i'd advice a default-deny policy for media players since i've read some stuff about numerous attacks through WMP's *.wmv vulnerabilities), VoIP apps etc. Combined with an autoupdating IP blocker with known-to-be-malicious sites this could keep an average Joe secure and unannoyed with popups.

I think that it is a very good idea, but maybe the implementation of something like this can not be very easy. A firewall, for example, may contain thousand of software in his database, but we have to agree that it is something increased day by day, and how could the developer handle it in a reliable  and easy way?

Really, something like this would facilitate the use of a firewall by an user without any basic knowledgement, but for how long? I think that it would demand very hard work by the developers, work that, perhaps, may not provide a rapid response when necessary, due to the increasing development of applications, both with good and bad purposes.

[Burillo]

maybe a community-driven database? like the HiJackThis one

[marcos.zy]

Great. I imagine that something like that would be very powerful and would give some of the responsibilities to the users/community. Perhaps this seems a little dreamer, but why not?

I would be very happy (speaking here by myself) in be able to participate of something like this, in help the "community-driven database" to increases  each day more. We all, users, would take advantage of this.

[Melih]

Great. I imagine that something like that would be very powerful and would give some of the responsibilities to the users/community. Perhaps this seems a little dreamer, but why not?

I would be very happy (speaking here by myself) in be able to participate of something like this, in help the "community-driven database" to increases  each day more. We all, users, would take advantage of this.

good idea!
The Comforting effect seeing that someone else done the same thing as you have is a good thing..

Melih

[marcos.zy]

good idea!
The Comforting effect seeing that someone else done the same thing as you have is a good thing..

And we have also to consider that the concept of a community helping in something like the tools that Comodo provides is approaching a little more of some concepts of the "opensource" world, at least with respect to the concept of community (I know, of course, that Comodo solutions are nor opensource).

It is also a good idea to improve Comodo spreading the world plan. I think that many people (I, included) would be very happy in participate in something like that. And, of course, it is a good opportunity to all of us manifestate our thanks to the Comodo Group.

And, this "way of help" could be inserted on the own application. Why not?

[neal63]

My point of view on this subject: I work and have worked part time for 8 years at a Internet provider company. My task is to configure new customers dial up modems for connecting to our services. But, some of my tasks are to trouble shoot problems for my EXISTING customers.
   Most of my customers are around my age (60's) and did not grow up with a computer. Most of them do not understand the operation of a computer, the Internet, and the hazards of surfing the Internet without having protection for their machines. When I get a call from them and try to help them with their problems I question them as to if they have "Malware Protection", a firewall etc. They for the most part do not, don't even know what a anti virus, anti spyware, a firewall is and don't care. All they want to do is surf the Internet playing games, read and send e-mail etc and not listen to my FREE helpfull adivse. I have told many of them about the free products that Comodo has and how to find Comodo on the Internet.
    I have also been told by some of them to "shut up" as they didn't want to hear what I was saying. So, the end result for them is that they will be bringing their pc into our establishment for computer cleansing and repair at a later time. I have seen it happen over and over. A very few of the folks I talk to have actually thanked me for the information that I take time to inform them about proper protection. Sometimes I think it's a losing cause but I will continue to advise them as I feel it's my right and my duty to inform them. 

[Rotty]

I see newer generations having no idea about computers much like the older generations that did not grow up with computers.  Computers are seen as an every-day thing and there for should be simple.  This is not the case as most of us know.  The second issue is that most viruses now are actually RAT(Remote access trojans) and/or bank stealing trojans/worms.  So now we have the everyday 10 to 17 yr-old and mom and pop people against a potentially billion dollar underground industry.  Who do you think will win?

Generally I think the newer generation are becoming more and more oblivious to the danger of black hat hackers much like the older generations that did not grow up with computers.

Another trend I have noticed is that Pen-Drives are being infected using the autorun.ini trick, look up symantec's technical description of the latest and greatest and you'll see what I mean.

[Burillo]

the usb-drive autorun is indeed a serious threat. my friend ALWAYS has to clean her flash-drive, 'cos her university comp is infected.

As for the old generation... It's really hard for them to understand the computer, if most of them think it is working on tubes, the screen is called "computer" and the tower is called "processor"... I don't think they are able to understand what is dll injection and other stuff.

But young people are the same sometimes. I read countless messages on russian "humor" sites about someone's girlfriend being so "stoopid" that when AV says she has 75 viruses on her computer, she decides that it's easier to delete 1 antivirus than 75 viruses. No alerts - no problems. It's very rare case when malware installs itself and start to annoy user (with exception of adware of course). So if visually nothing happens - everything's right. And all the system lags, long system startup and/or shutdown, some error messages - these are "faulty Windows" to blame. It doesn't really annoy the user too much. Oh, error message, press OK and forget. "I don't know what that means".

[marcos.zy]

But young people are the same sometimes. I read countless messages on russian "humor" sites about someone's girlfriend being so "stoopid" that when AV says she has 75 viruses on her computer, she decides that it's easier to delete 1 antivirus than 75 viruses. No alerts - no problems.

I see the same thing almost every day in my work. I have already tried to talk to various people to not delete his anti-virus, but try to "understand" the messages and ask for help when he don't knows what they have to do, but nothing this seems to makes effect.

I begin to think how neal63, and ask myself if it is not a loosing case. But, comodo and another companies are here to help us (and many others), and this is a great hope. 

[gibran]

My point of view on this subject: I work and have worked part time for 8 years at a Internet provider company. My task is to configure new customers dial up modems for connecting to our services. But, some of my tasks are to trouble shoot problems for my EXISTING customers.
   Most of my customers are around my age (60's) and did not grow up with a computer. Most of them do not understand the operation of a computer, the Internet, and the hazards of surfing the Internet without having protection for their machines. When I get a call from them and try to help them with their problems I question them as to if they have "Malware Protection", a firewall etc. They for the most part do not, don't even know what a anti virus, anti spyware, a firewall is and don't care. All they want to do is surf the Internet playing games, read and send e-mail etc and not listen to my FREE helpfull adivse. I have told many of them about the free products that Comodo has and how to find Comodo on the Internet.
    I have also been told by some of them to "shut up" as they didn't want to hear what I was saying. So, the end result for them is that they will be bringing their pc into our establishment for computer cleansing and repair at a later time. I have seen it happen over and over. A very few of the folks I talk to have actually thanked me for the information that I take time to inform them about proper protection. Sometimes I think it's a losing cause but I will continue to advise them as I feel it's my right and my duty to inform them. 

I guess they treated you as spam Never suggest any brand if you don't are directly asked to.

For that matters only provide infos they could actually be interested about. This don't actually mean that you don't have to point them to the right direction.
You only have to give them hints and they eventually catch up.

So what people are usually concerned about? Unneeded money losses
Identity theft, phishing, maintenance costs are actually hot topics.

So a question like If you use your CC online are you protected against hacker attempts to steal your money? could gain enough attention.
If they don't actually use CC online the you can ask the if they are protected against unneeded maintenance costs caused by hacker tampering attempts.

You don't need to provide a detailed answer right on the bat. The most adequate thing is to address these concerns to your bosses to
setup an informative page on your ISP. Pointing them to a blog or another page will lessen the impact even if that page is well made.

BTW actually few ISP changed their policies and adopted an hard way. The actually cut the intenet connection of infected pc.

Another gold suggestion is to use only prepaid CCs online.

[Melih]

Well, all this leads to one thing! OEMs must be responsible enough to provide their PCs with protection built in!!

So Dell, HP, Gateway and every other PC manufacturers! I would invite you to install our Protection for free every PC you produce!

Lets ask these companies regularly to make sure they do!

Melih

[Burillo]

why does the new PC need the security software when M$ claims that Windows (XP/Vista/whatever) is "even more secure"? )))))
[offtopic] actually an M$ ad i saw recently made me laugh - they made a sort of an ad which claims "linux server for sale! for sake of M$ Server 2003"... It's not Win vs Linux that made me laugh, it's the concept - someone is selling hardware and the free OS... just to buy another hardware and paid OS... why selling hardware?

[marcos.zy]

why does the new PC need the security software when M$ claims that Windows (XP/Vista/whatever) is "even more secure"? Smiley)))))

Really. It is a major obstacle, something difficult to be broken, because most of the people only see the OS itself, and does not see (or understand) anything more.

Well, all this leads to one thing! OEMs must be responsible enough to provide their PCs with protection built in!!

So Dell, HP, Gateway and every other PC manufacturers! I would invite you to install our Protection for free every PC you produce!

Lets ask these companies regularly to make sure they do!

This is a great idea, but I don't know if this can be implemented in a short or medium term. Does such companies really interested in something like that?

Maybe did they will first analyze the profit they will get, before trying something like that. And perhaps this profit would not enough to make them implement this.

Even using free solutions, we have to remember that someone (their employees) will have to install and test the solutions, and this will cost time and money.

Regards.

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