The NYT on the Proliferation of Botnets

ThinkComp writes "The New York Times has a up a story on the proliferation of botnets. The article cites a number of security researchers who paint a depressing picture of the state of internet security, and concludes with the suggestion that for home users, buying a new 'updated' PC may be the only real solution. Unfortunately, as most of us know, given the number of outstanding flaws in software and the ingenuity of malicious software authors, that might not even help."

Not a flaw, but a feature

[Anonymous Coward]

Its nice to see somebody using all those cycles the noobs waste.

Good for them.

Capitol Punishment

[flyneye]

Capitol Punishment on national television for owners of botnets.
O.K.,O.K. maybe just corporal punishment ,but it has to be bareass.

Re:Make Microsoft liable

[tomhudson]

If I ignore morality and criminality and cut off my spouse's head, it's still my own damn fault.

Hans Reiser, is that you?

Re:Not a flaw, but a feature

[MillionthMonkey]

throw the computer users a bone sheesh!

Paycheck? They get screensavers. Just take a popular screensaver, write a hostile wrapper, and upload it to your scum site. If antivirus software removes your malware, some users will even reinstall it.

Re:Well, that's sorta backwards

[Anonymous Coward]

Whoosh!

Re:Capitol Punishment

[Anonymous Coward]

What is "capitol" punishment? A stick of dynamite in the rotunda?

You mean "capital" punishment.

Re:Push for Windows CDs

[BigZaphod]

How about a single button solution on the front panel of the PC? Label it as "power" so that each time the user turns the system off it actually starts a reinstall after shutting off the monitor. That way, when they come back in the morning, they can start fresh! Imagine how much easier tech support would be... rebooting your computer would actually help - and it'd always come back with a clean slate! No confusion about where they accidently dragged the Recycle Bin while trying to click on the Start menu. No more endless problems with spyware or viruses (well, nothing lasting, anyway). It'd be a usability revolution!

Re:Make Microsoft liable

[BenoitRen]

This psychotic-chainsaw-with-artificial-intelligence analogy is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

At least it wasn't a car analogy.

Re:Capitol Punishment

[bjohnson]

Capitol Punishment - Sitting at the witness table in a Senate hearing room, in front of the cameras, listening to Ted Stevens lecture you about the Internets Tubes. You are not allowed to laugh.