XP machines used by inexperienced people are the main backbone of botnets.
Call me a zealot, but if everyone was using Linux - as user - this simply wouldn't be happening. The Linux platform is hostile to both the installation and propagation of worms and malware. The argument that there are no Linux viruses because nobody bothers to write them is ancient nonsensical FUD btw.
Maybe everyone should dual boot... use your fave apps in offline Windows and surf with Linux. Best of both worlds.
Net bombarded by heaviest ever attacks this year
Summary
Online networks suffered their heaviest brute force attacks to date this year, with more sites than ever coming under sustained assault.
Topics
Online networks suffered their heaviest brute force attacks to date this year, with more sites than ever coming under sustained assault.
IP networks were bombarded by Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks – attempts to make networks unreachable by flooding them with traffic – as intense as 40Gbps, a survey of 70 IP network operators worldwide has claimed.
The report by Arbor Networks says that the largest sustained attacks in the last two years were 24 Gbps and 17 Gbps, a 67 per cent increase in attack scale over last year.
A total of 36 per cent of respondents suffered sustained attacks larger than 1Gbps last year and the number suffering attacks of this type doubled in 2008.
Botnets continue to be the main vehicle used to disrupt network operations - accounting for 26 per cent of attacks - followed by DNS cache poisoning.
Chief security officer for Arbor Networks Danny McPherson said the growth in attack size continues to "significantly outpace" the corresponding increase in underlying transmission speed and infrastructure investment.
Just In
Dual boot is so passe these days. I have a client that need windows apps on their LINUX desktops, so we run a Virtual Window environment. Works great and solved all sorts of issues.
If everyone was on Linux the same people would be tricked into install bot net programs. I'm not saying its going to be easy for the programmers but it can be done. The weakest link in any computer is the user. If a person wants that Fancy icon,cursor there going to do what every it asks them to install it.
nt
They think that people that use Windows are stupid by definition. Of the 170 ppl I work with 90% of the then have a bachelor's degree, more than 1/2 have masters and more than a 1/3 have PhD's. How many use Linux aside from me? Two. Both play around with it as hobbyists but use Windows as their main OS.
Now why is that?
Now why is that?
Those bachelor, master and PhD's make up the majority of my repairs. Book sense, they may have, but not common sense. I can't tell you how many remark, "I don't have time to learn this".
A twelve year old is more security savvy.
Ask these enlighten minds to define firewall. You might get "the wall that separates apartments".
A twelve year old is more security savvy.
Ask these enlighten minds to define firewall. You might get "the wall that separates apartments".
Most of these people don't have time to learn this sort of stuff... nor should they have to. The computer is a tool, nothing more and nothing less, to get things done. It is the only appliance, piece of electronics or machinery that requires you to need a near professional level experience to lock down and maintain. When you buy a PC it does not come with a set of instructions on how to secure it. Nor does it come with warning labels about the dangers of simply being online. That is why IT dept's exist at all: to deal with computers so other people can do the work (90% of the time) that actually generates revenue. And don't say Lunix because the tools that these people use don't exist for linux. Namely: SPSS and Office.
SPSS is officially supported on Linux, and there is a very good MicrosoftOffice alternative called OpenOffice which runs on Linux/Mac as well.
My bad on SPSS
>>and there is a very good MicrosoftOffice alternative called OpenOffice which runs on Linux/Mac as well.
No shite Sherlock. Open Office is Java based. It will run on a Java enabled toaster.
To the FOSS crowd it is the *code* that is important and not the UI, which is one of the reason that Linux has failed to gain any sort of market share outside uber geek world. Great server, sh!tty desk top. They get as far as "Hey look, it works, you should be happy.... and then they stop production. Look... most FOSS apps have a sh!tty UI (if one at all), and the documentation is sparse (if it exists at all) and written in an obscure Klingon dialect.
My favorite quote about OSS:
"But Open Source software is FREE!!!!" So is dirt. Bl0w me.
>>and there is a very good MicrosoftOffice alternative called OpenOffice which runs on Linux/Mac as well.
No shite Sherlock. Open Office is Java based. It will run on a Java enabled toaster.
To the FOSS crowd it is the *code* that is important and not the UI, which is one of the reason that Linux has failed to gain any sort of market share outside uber geek world. Great server, sh!tty desk top. They get as far as "Hey look, it works, you should be happy.... and then they stop production. Look... most FOSS apps have a sh!tty UI (if one at all), and the documentation is sparse (if it exists at all) and written in an obscure Klingon dialect.
My favorite quote about OSS:
"But Open Source software is FREE!!!!" So is dirt. Bl0w me.
But obviously not obvious to you, or you wouldn't have said what you said. Unless you WANTED to look like an immature kid.
Thank you for playing. Your not above being s douche bag either.
Linux is not a good Desktop OS. I am willing to bet money that in the next year, when money gets real tight that the linux desktop will gain more than another 1 or 2% desktop market share even though it is free. Maybe in Gov't under Obama.
Linux has had 10 years to make a mark and failed. Fire fox has a 30% market share even though is a RAM sucking ho. Farkin Vista is doing better than Linux... That is SAD. It is mostly because the focus has been the enterprise data center.
I would be the first one to switch to a Linux desktop if it "Just Worked". I have tried every year since '98 and after a while I just said screw it. $100 every 3-5 years is worth not having to kludge together a big half-assed work around to get things done.
Linux is not a good Desktop OS. I am willing to bet money that in the next year, when money gets real tight that the linux desktop will gain more than another 1 or 2% desktop market share even though it is free. Maybe in Gov't under Obama.
Linux has had 10 years to make a mark and failed. Fire fox has a 30% market share even though is a RAM sucking ho. Farkin Vista is doing better than Linux... That is SAD. It is mostly because the focus has been the enterprise data center.
I would be the first one to switch to a Linux desktop if it "Just Worked". I have tried every year since '98 and after a while I just said screw it. $100 every 3-5 years is worth not having to kludge together a big half-assed work around to get things done.
I know there are some new DX10-only games made for Windows that don't work in Linux, but that's hardly a fault in Linux. Just like Windows being unable to run a Linux program isn't a problem with Windows.
Is this all you meant? Or something else? Because that's basically the only reason not many people use it. Because not many companies make programs for it. Because not many people use it.
Is this all you meant? Or something else? Because that's basically the only reason not many people use it. Because not many companies make programs for it. Because not many people use it.
"XP machines used by inexperienced people are the main backbone of botnets."
Replace XP machines with Linux machine and we will have the same inexperienced people that uses the computer and will fall pray to what ever malware those virus makers will do and they will elevate that malware's binary regardless of the OS.
The biggest security hole is not in the code, but the user itself regardless of OS(Mac, Windows, Linux).
Linux is not somekind of hallowed ground that prevent the vampiric viruses from entering.
PS: Using an argument that can be used to counter itself is stupid... as using the "I am invincible" argument to counter a so called FUD is equally stupid.
Replace XP machines with Linux machine and we will have the same inexperienced people that uses the computer and will fall pray to what ever malware those virus makers will do and they will elevate that malware's binary regardless of the OS.
The biggest security hole is not in the code, but the user itself regardless of OS(Mac, Windows, Linux).
Linux is not somekind of hallowed ground that prevent the vampiric viruses from entering.
PS: Using an argument that can be used to counter itself is stupid... as using the "I am invincible" argument to counter a so called FUD is equally stupid.
That is the primary issue. Yes it doesn't matter what operating system you're running (Linux, Windows, OSX, Solaris), if you're a stupid user you will probably get botted at some point.
But the thing is that Windows makes it fairly easy for your computer to end up on a botnet without you knowing about it. Simply having auto-update not turned on, or not working properly, is pretty much a guarantee. And when everything you do requires you to click 3 or 4 dialog boxes approving it, you get "cry wolf" syndrome pretty quickly.
But the thing is that Windows makes it fairly easy for your computer to end up on a botnet without you knowing about it. Simply having auto-update not turned on, or not working properly, is pretty much a guarantee. And when everything you do requires you to click 3 or 4 dialog boxes approving it, you get "cry wolf" syndrome pretty quickly.
Just an honest question.
Stupidity is forever. Ignorance can be fixed.
Ignorance can be remedied and forgiven. Stupidity cannot. At the point you content to remain ignorant, you become stupid!
Ignorance is not knowing but stupidity is lack of intelligence. Ignorance has unfortunately been given a bad connotation. Just like "omen" has.
I'm amazed at friends/neighbors who leave their XP computers on 24/7, hooked up to a DSL line or cable modem.
They are dumbfounded when I ask them if they know what their computers are doing when not being used by them. It NEVER occurs to them that their little beastie might be a "zombie" used in one of these attacks.
What idiots!
They are dumbfounded when I ask them if they know what their computers are doing when not being used by them. It NEVER occurs to them that their little beastie might be a "zombie" used in one of these attacks.
What idiots!
techs like you think that something like "zombies" or "botnets" are common knowledge. If your neighbors/friends worked in IT then perhaps they are idiots for not knowing about how their computer could be used as part of a botnet. However, how much do you know about not making a fool of yourself when it comes to their profession. Do you know what you can do with the wood of dogwood tree? Or how you can safely eat yucca in the Amazon region? How you should grind certain native Autralian Outback cereals to keep from being poisoned by them? The answers to these questions are common knowledge to the inhabitants of the respective regions, but how many outside their regions know the anwers.
Where as many people use computers without even reading the manual.
Everything I learned to do with a computer, sans programming, I had to figure out how to do on my own until I connected to the Internet a year or two prior to 2000. How to do this and how to do that. There was no manual. My computer came with no manual asides from orders to use installation disks.
After connection to the Internet, "manuals" became things people wrote online and others referred to, to accomplish a configuration or usage task. Even then, you have to know what to look for and where to get advice and what advice is most pertinent. Or even if they should care about this advice and how much they should care.
Has anyone else had it like this? The only manual I ever remember seeing was a Win3.1 manual.
After connection to the Internet, "manuals" became things people wrote online and others referred to, to accomplish a configuration or usage task. Even then, you have to know what to look for and where to get advice and what advice is most pertinent. Or even if they should care about this advice and how much they should care.
Has anyone else had it like this? The only manual I ever remember seeing was a Win3.1 manual.
"Do you know what you can do with the wood of dogwood tree? "
You can't do anything with the wood. You can only use the bark.
You can't do anything with the wood. You can only use the bark.
I am amazed that most ppl are not aware of how their phone lines are being tapped by the federal government. They are dumbfounded when I ask them if they know what their conversations were being listened to by the government with the telco's consent. It NEVER occurs to them that their government was spying on them.
What idiots!
What idiots!
Many of the current attacks use javascript and various plugins as their primary vectors of entry. Yes, there will always be users who click on that "download" button and run malware, but there is an increasingly large penetration into systems where people practice relatively safe computing.
In short, your "It's all about the dumb user" perspective is not only inaccurate, but it reeks of a false sense of hubris. People need to be just as worried about their browser, whether or not Javascript is enabled, their plug-ins (PDFs, Flash, etc), the pages they view, and the ADS served by ad servers that are displaying content on the pages they view.
In short, your "It's all about the dumb user" perspective is not only inaccurate, but it reeks of a false sense of hubris. People need to be just as worried about their browser, whether or not Javascript is enabled, their plug-ins (PDFs, Flash, etc), the pages they view, and the ADS served by ad servers that are displaying content on the pages they view.
For many of the problems, the only solution is to switch to a more secure OS. And even then you could still be vulnerable if you use things like WINE and NDISwrapper.
Most of the hacks now are against the websites. Hackers install scripts that are inadvertantly run when people access presumed safe websites. Thousands of hacked pages are being posted every day.
"The biggest security hole is not in the code, but the user itself regardless of OS(Mac, Windows, Linux)."
As programmers we like to blame the user because it makes our job easier; however, the biggest hole is in the code itself. Without the bug being in the code (whether in its design or the actual code) it would not be possible to exploit the user. The problem with XP was in the design. Try running XP in basic user mode instead of admin mode. It can be done, but you'll run into apps that just don't behave right. Some of those apps are driver update programs. I have one HP printer driver updater that will keep bugging you about not being able to install updates because you're not running as admin. However, the updater doesn't provide a mechanism to allow it to be runas admin. It also doesn't make it easy to either disable the updater or allow you to run it as basic user. You can blame HP for the error; however, I've found even Microsoft programs that don't behave well as basic user under XP.
The fact is that XP made it easier for the botnet programmers to create the bots. It was a design flaw and Microsoft has made strides in correcting it with Vista, but the fact still remains the biggest security holes are with the code and not the users. If your code is compromised, it's your fault not the users' fault.
As for the argument that Linux/Unix is tamper proof the original rootkits proved that Unix could be compromised and the bash fork bomb shows what can happen on Linux. No code is perfect or impervious to attacks, but that still doesn't give us license to blame the users. The blame lies squarely with us and our code.
As programmers we like to blame the user because it makes our job easier; however, the biggest hole is in the code itself. Without the bug being in the code (whether in its design or the actual code) it would not be possible to exploit the user. The problem with XP was in the design. Try running XP in basic user mode instead of admin mode. It can be done, but you'll run into apps that just don't behave right. Some of those apps are driver update programs. I have one HP printer driver updater that will keep bugging you about not being able to install updates because you're not running as admin. However, the updater doesn't provide a mechanism to allow it to be runas admin. It also doesn't make it easy to either disable the updater or allow you to run it as basic user. You can blame HP for the error; however, I've found even Microsoft programs that don't behave well as basic user under XP.
The fact is that XP made it easier for the botnet programmers to create the bots. It was a design flaw and Microsoft has made strides in correcting it with Vista, but the fact still remains the biggest security holes are with the code and not the users. If your code is compromised, it's your fault not the users' fault.
As for the argument that Linux/Unix is tamper proof the original rootkits proved that Unix could be compromised and the bash fork bomb shows what can happen on Linux. No code is perfect or impervious to attacks, but that still doesn't give us license to blame the users. The blame lies squarely with us and our code.
It's not just design problems.
The code is downright WORMABLE and unless you update it regularly (which requires restarting your whole computer and everything on it, for every single update), your computer will be taken over even if you're AFK.
It's not even a problem with the OS. Some people who run certain applications/drivers on things like WINE/NDISwrapper on an otherwise secure OS could find themselves compromised the same way.
So don't try to blame it all on one OS.
The code is downright WORMABLE and unless you update it regularly (which requires restarting your whole computer and everything on it, for every single update), your computer will be taken over even if you're AFK.
It's not even a problem with the OS. Some people who run certain applications/drivers on things like WINE/NDISwrapper on an otherwise secure OS could find themselves compromised the same way.
So don't try to blame it all on one OS.
This is the biggest peice of truth ever written on a
flame pit such as this.
If coders would take the time to fix disign flaws they
would be less prone to attacks.
The biggest problem with javascript is that it is a
scripting language that anyone can learn. But becuase
you have a basic idea of the language, does not mean
you know how to program correctly.
More and more I see great looking apps written in web
based scripting languages that just scream hack me.
In vastly larger projects, it is simply not possible
to think of everything. There are people in the
hacking communities that just know how computers work.
They can infect anything they desire simply as proof
of concept.
This is where the internet is heading. Until the
programmers who write these scripts learn to manage
their code; we will always have these problems.
flame pit such as this.
If coders would take the time to fix disign flaws they
would be less prone to attacks.
The biggest problem with javascript is that it is a
scripting language that anyone can learn. But becuase
you have a basic idea of the language, does not mean
you know how to program correctly.
More and more I see great looking apps written in web
based scripting languages that just scream hack me.
In vastly larger projects, it is simply not possible
to think of everything. There are people in the
hacking communities that just know how computers work.
They can infect anything they desire simply as proof
of concept.
This is where the internet is heading. Until the
programmers who write these scripts learn to manage
their code; we will always have these problems.
When will Linux users understand that Linux is simply not mainstream, Linux is not easy to use, and Linux not a solution for the masses. Your contention that everyone should dual boot fails to consider one thing. Not everyone is an EggHead like you.
Cannot use Windows either.. If you cannot understand what an icon is and point on that icon and click, then how will you use any computer?
So if i want to run Office, or Quick Books, or Illustrator, or Visual Studio, or any other main stream app I can with Linux?
Friend, I think you've missed the point. When you change operating systems, you change to the applications of that operating system. You don't expect the same applications, you look for apps that can do the same thing. One wouldn't expect MS Office under Linux, but I can get everything done that I need to using OpenOffice.org.
Have you recently reviewed the applications available for Linux and their capabilities vis-a-vis their Windows counterparts? For that matter, have you looked into the status of the WINE project (no longer alpha, no longer beta, but 1.0) and its capabilities for supporting Windows programs under Linux if you've just GOTTA have 'em? Desktop Linux is a growing, deepening, maturing platform.
Think about it.
Have you recently reviewed the applications available for Linux and their capabilities vis-a-vis their Windows counterparts? For that matter, have you looked into the status of the WINE project (no longer alpha, no longer beta, but 1.0) and its capabilities for supporting Windows programs under Linux if you've just GOTTA have 'em? Desktop Linux is a growing, deepening, maturing platform.
Think about it.
You miss the point. OSS apps are generally pale imitations of stuff by for-profit ISVs.
Likewise, all the extras besides the core apps have to be replaced. No one has the stomach for it outside of zealots.
Likewise, all the extras besides the core apps have to be replaced. No one has the stomach for it outside of zealots.
try Kana test
best dang little thing for learning japanese kanas -- AND
there is no Windows version - just a Linux and a Mac
distribution. There are a lot of other apps and the the
Ubuntu studio LInux GUI is so much smoother than Wintel...
best dang little thing for learning japanese kanas -- AND
there is no Windows version - just a Linux and a Mac
distribution. There are a lot of other apps and the the
Ubuntu studio LInux GUI is so much smoother than Wintel...
And there is definitely a good, well-established contender for Photoshop's crown: The Gimp!
I don't know about AutoCAD, but I can't imagine there isn't an open source equivalent.
I don't know about AutoCAD, but I can't imagine there isn't an open source equivalent.
>> you look for apps that can do the same thing.
There are no FOSS equivalents to the many computing staples of running a business or otherwise ...
Off the top of my head:
*Anything* in the Adobe's CS4/3 Line
QuickBooks
TurboTax
Visual Studio
MS Office
MS SQL Server management tools as good as MS's tools
Enterprise PDF Creation and management tools
Solomon
90% of video games
The saving grace for a lot of FOSS apps is that they run on Java. Like Open Office, Eclipse, NetBeans etc.
As far a Wine goes... I have NO desire to *get something to work on wine* when it runs fine on the OS that came with my computer. Seriously, what is your time worth? If it takes more than an hour to get anything to work under Linux that runs fine Windows then I could have bought an XP license. Is spending time getting stuff to work worth more than say watching a movie? Spending time with your friends and family? Getting stuff done so ou can get on with your life? Then Linux is for you.
Face it getting Linux to do non trivial things like say, getting a printer to work can be a nightmare. OR not. It is a roll of the dice.
If you are willing to deal with second best and "good enough" then Linux is fine. If you are on a low budget even better.
Look, I am all about FOSS. I have released OSS software and I actively contribute to several OSS projects.
But don't tell me that in it's current state that Linux can compete with Windows or OSX in a competitive market because it cannot. If it could I would be using Linux right now and so would a lot more ppl.
I am sorry but second best and alternative doesn't cut it. And that is where the current state of the Linux desktop is at.
There are no FOSS equivalents to the many computing staples of running a business or otherwise ...
Off the top of my head:
*Anything* in the Adobe's CS4/3 Line
QuickBooks
TurboTax
Visual Studio
MS Office
MS SQL Server management tools as good as MS's tools
Enterprise PDF Creation and management tools
Solomon
90% of video games
The saving grace for a lot of FOSS apps is that they run on Java. Like Open Office, Eclipse, NetBeans etc.
As far a Wine goes... I have NO desire to *get something to work on wine* when it runs fine on the OS that came with my computer. Seriously, what is your time worth? If it takes more than an hour to get anything to work under Linux that runs fine Windows then I could have bought an XP license. Is spending time getting stuff to work worth more than say watching a movie? Spending time with your friends and family? Getting stuff done so ou can get on with your life? Then Linux is for you.
Face it getting Linux to do non trivial things like say, getting a printer to work can be a nightmare. OR not. It is a roll of the dice.
If you are willing to deal with second best and "good enough" then Linux is fine. If you are on a low budget even better.
Look, I am all about FOSS. I have released OSS software and I actively contribute to several OSS projects.
But don't tell me that in it's current state that Linux can compete with Windows or OSX in a competitive market because it cannot. If it could I would be using Linux right now and so would a lot more ppl.
I am sorry but second best and alternative doesn't cut it. And that is where the current state of the Linux desktop is at.
I have tested OpenOffice.org agains MS OFFICE and found OpenOffice.org to be superior. I have had visitors try OO and some could not tell the difference. Others have made tests and found OO gave higher productivity.
It is strange. I do PDF all the time. My colleagues do not. They use M$'s stuff exclusively and I use Debian GNU/Linux.
Unless one is printing in colour and there is a requirement for reproducible colour there is little that GIMP cannot do just as well as Photoshop.
Then we get to malware and shared memory on terminal servers and M$ is blown away. They cannot compete against GNU/Linux there or in netbooks. Forget the expensive apps. GNU/Linux comes with most of what we need in various distros. M$ provides only a crude OS and a few apps. No contest.
It is strange. I do PDF all the time. My colleagues do not. They use M$'s stuff exclusively and I use Debian GNU/Linux.
Unless one is printing in colour and there is a requirement for reproducible colour there is little that GIMP cannot do just as well as Photoshop.
Then we get to malware and shared memory on terminal servers and M$ is blown away. They cannot compete against GNU/Linux there or in netbooks. Forget the expensive apps. GNU/Linux comes with most of what we need in various distros. M$ provides only a crude OS and a few apps. No contest.
-1 for the use of M$
Few apps? Excuse me while I laugh so hard I sick up.
Few apps? Excuse me while I laugh so hard I sick up.
That can even come close to CS4. I mean with out rubbing two sticks together.... You kmow, like Gimp? Gimp is shite compared to Photoshop. And there is ***NOTHING*** on the face of the earth, FOSS or other wise, that can even *touch* DW CS4. Nothing.
Nothing, not even Aptana, NetBeans or Eclipse or even that POS, NU.
Nothing, not even Aptana, NetBeans or Eclipse or even that POS, NU.
Third party firewalls. Who is wasting money here? Your or the Linux zealots?
At least they know they are getting the biggest bang for their dollar using a secure OS.
Have fun
At least they know they are getting the biggest bang for their dollar using a secure OS.
Have fun
What are you talking about?
But how about Office add-ons such as translation memory tools? I use (and am obliged to use) a package (a well known industry standard TM tool that costs hundreds/thousands, depending on the distro) that is basically a Word macro that doesn't work with OO, although I do have OO on my other computers.
My box won't boot into ubuntu 8.10. As a novice in 8.4 I had miscolored videos,problems playing MP3s, usb mike not working, hassle with web cams and scanners. The OCR app is a joke compared with my venerable Textbridge. All now solved but it took many hours.
I can't recommend Linux unless folk have time, experience with DOS command line and somewhere to run XP till they have sorted everything. Which rules out most of my friends and family ..
I can't recommend Linux unless folk have time, experience with DOS command line and somewhere to run XP till they have sorted everything. Which rules out most of my friends and family ..
I'm sure there are a few people who have had problems with XP/Vista/Mac OSX as well.
Don, zealot is not the first word I thought of. While it is true that if users as a whole used a more diverse set of OS's, there would be less of a problem since any one botnet would presumably work on only one OS, but to claim "if everone was using Linus - as user - this simply wouldn't be happening" really makes me wonder what's in your Kool Aid.
There are two other operating systems that also contribute to botnets; Windows 2000 and Windows Vista(with UAP disabled.. meaning 99% of the time).
And also the many people who use things like WINE and NDISWRAPPER to run Windows programs/drivers on otherwise secure operating systems.
So ya, you really should look at the bigger picture before blaming everything on one OS. No offense.
And also the many people who use things like WINE and NDISWRAPPER to run Windows programs/drivers on otherwise secure operating systems.
So ya, you really should look at the bigger picture before blaming everything on one OS. No offense.
Not only Windows XP, but Windows 2000 and Windows Vista (with UAP disabled), along with anything running WINE (an application layer for Linux that enables Windows apps to run) or NDISWRAPPER (a means to use Windows drivers under Linux) is subject to botnet infestation and other forms of malware.
We can't just blame one OS. We have to blame the whole PLATFORM. Hee hee hee.
We can't just blame one OS. We have to blame the whole PLATFORM. Hee hee hee.
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