http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7120251.stm
Here we are, an 18 year old who made $20 millions, taking over unsuspecting user’s machine, stealing their data as well as using their machine in criminal activity to steal more data and money!
Was your computer one these millions of computers turned into a Botnet? Are you a Zombie?
Melih
Nope, because I’m using Comodo (V)
It’s the 21st centuary, and still some people don’t use a firewall with outbound protection and a good up-to-date antivirus, that’s enough to prevent this.
And yes, botnets are big threats. Take the Storm botnet for example.
We don’t want to imagine what you can do with that many computers at your command. Yet again, a simple firewall and antivirus could stop it.
Cheers,
Ragwing
So why are people not using it then?
Melih
Apathy
Will not happen to them.
I might be going to far the other way?
Run CPF3 in Paranoid Mode, will not allow any process access to the internet unless absolutely necessary mostly specific address.(Except CPF3)
Also run browser email & media player sandboxed.
Dennis
And it is still common to find people who don’t know what is a firewall. ???
True. My dad doesn’t. Like half of my class doesn’t know what a firewall is. My school doesn’t, so I can play around with their network with a teacher’s user and do some thing we’ll call “stuff” ;D
Cheers,
Ragwing
do some thing we'll call "stuff"ROFLMAO unfortunately this is very common. I have a friend whose parents are doing online banking. They don't have a firewall nor an AV and not even a router. ADSL directly connected to their PC. Well I warned them...without success. Eventually their luck will be gone.
so the responsibility falls upon us to educate them all!
To each one of us!
Melih
Most people learn only the hard way. The clever ones already use Comodo Firewall.
People don’t want to know about firewall and stuff. At least until something happens to them that could have been prevented with a firewall. Then they know what a firewall is and not one second earlier. I really do believe in the stupidity and stubbornness of people.
as a recent [could have been victim] of a attempt Bot-net attack just 1 day after the release of the new comodo firewall pro all i can say is that if it was not for comodo my pc would be spamming it’s way across the net by now [or worse] this firewall DID stop it never thought it would happen but it did. I had my trusty comodo firewall never leave your front page with out it!! {Thank You Comodo Team}
:BNC :■■■■
The problem is that some people don’t want to learn about, and think that something bad never will occurs with them.
The bad thing here is that when they finally learn, this means that something bad has already happened, and their machines has already been infected by some type of malware, and in the above mentioned case of botnets, a great damage can already have been caused to other people.
“the public is an ■■■!” (c)
unfortunately i don’t know english that well to be able to translate a common russian phrase that perfectly matches this case… i know many people who don’t use AV and FW software - my dad runs only Antivirus, but he uses computer only for reading email (the Bat), M$ Office stuff and offline gaming. Thus he is somewhat protected. My two brothers use firewalls, AVs… I myself am kinda security geek so my comp is full of additional security software (HijackThis, IceSword…) so me and my family are somewhat protected from attacks. But i know many people who don’t use security software at all. Of course i tell’em “guys, you hear about computer viruses and hacker attacks every day and still don’t use AV and FW?!”… some of them listen, some don’t… Common problem - Firefox/Opera/Safari is far more secure than IE, still many people use it - they just don’t want to install another software that does the same job… and when something happens - you really can’t say anything except “i told you, goddamit”…
Personal computer security aside, what troubles me about this story is: "is alleged to have infiltrated more than one million computers and skimmed millions of dollars from people’s bank accounts. " “After being questioned “Akill” was released without charge, but police say he is still being investigated.” At least charge him with the crime before you just let him free. I am sure if I took millions from a bank I would be singing “Old Man River” in a jail cell near me.
Isn’t one of the reason why people don’t use protection because it cost them money?
Melih
believe me - it is not :-))) people just don’t bother/afraid of installing something onto their computers (though they install thousands of adware-spyware-powered tiny games)
i’ve seen people that sound alarm and call system administrator when they see an “operation completed” message box… and you say they must install security software… nonsense :-))
Isn't one of the reason why people don't use protection because it cost them money?
I think that it is one of the reasons. In my opinion, people don’t use protection (or use only AV in some cases) because they think that something bad will never occurs with them, in some cases, and also don’t know, many times, “what” are the risks, and “what” are the protection tools (and how to use it).
I know people who have been stolen, which had your bank details stolen through some type of malware (and have lost money due to this), and still don’t using a firewall, for example. ???
It seems unbelievable, but is true, unfortunately.
maybe they think just AV is enough?
maybe they don’t understand they need prevention?
Melih
They don’t even care about what they might need…till they are robbed. The problem is in my opinion that people still don’t realize that to use the internet they need to have some sort of basic knowledge about it. They wouldn’t bother learning to configure a firewall, answering popups ect…People are still way too naive regarding the internet and the threats related. And if the problem occurs they might install an av or firewall but they still wouldn’t bother learn what is happening at least on the surface. I mean if they do have the firewall which in fact in itself gives them a sort of protection but if they just answer “Allow” to everything without even reading the alert it is almost useless. I think common sense along with such great products as CFP has one of the biggest influence on the security of the Internet. So Im with Burillo in this topic. It will be a tough mission to educate the masses and Im not referring here to the mental capabilities of individuals but the fact that the puplic also needs a kind of urge to learn; accept our helping hand and open their minds to some new stuff.
maybe they think just AV is enough? maybe they don't understand they need prevention?
Maybe they don’t think at all.
Maybe they don’t understand.
Maybe they don’t want anything new.
Maybe they simply don’t care.
the common problem - i told my friend to install a firewall. She did. But still, she doesn’t understand what is it and how does it work on prevention (and WHAT does it prevent). You see, to be able to protect yourself means having at least basic knowledge of FROM WHAT you are protecting. The words “protection” and “security” are too general. If you don’t know what is dll injection - how can you be absolutely sure the action is safe? significant amount of users don’t even want to learn some basic things about the computer.