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Internet Immunization

Posted by Zonk on from the nature-saves-us-from-leet-haxxors dept.

xav_jones writes "Nature.com reports on computer experts from Israel who are proposing a different strategy for combating fast-spreading worms and viruses -- one in which the fix can, theoretically, keep up with or stay ahead of the malicious code. They 'propose a system in which a few honeypot computers lie in wait for viruses. These computers run automated software that first identifies the virus, and then sends out its signature across the Internet. This enables a sentinel program on all the other computers in the network to identify the virus and bar it before it can attack them.' The honeypot computers would reside in a secure, dedicated network. For 'roughly 200 million computers ... [with] just 800,000 [(0.004%)] of them acting as honeypots [it] would restrict a viral outbreak to 2,000 machines.'"

2 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. WOW by rovingeyes · · Score: 4, Interesting

    All that to combat worms and viruses? If I am correct, most of the worms and viruses infect because of a vulnerabilitly in the software. So what if these sentinnels of "guardian angels" themselves have some flaws which these viruses exploit. How about spending some money on training developers to practise safe coding. How about educating average joe to not click on the Britney's image and let him know that she is not going to blow him? How about lobbying to pass laws to force software companies to pass a higher standard? Heck even children toys have certain standards that the companies have to adhere to.

    Seems like rational ideas are just an illision now a days. Don quixote suddenly seems more reasonable to me than this guy.

  2. Why not do this with the human body? by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I always wondered if the future of human defense against viruses was similar. Use "honeypots" with human-like susceptibility (genetically modified pigs or something). Once their immune systems start figuring out what virus is attacking, take a part of the virus DNA and post the code for the world to see.

    Individuals at home would have their DNA sequencers crank out a batch and they'd then inoculate themselves, prepping their immune system for the real virus.

    This is all future stuff, of course. It could also be prone to problems, such as someone hacking into the system and posting a DNA sequence that does bad things to people. Shucks, the autism/vaccine scares already show people's fear of such things. Might make for a good story, though.