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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.'"

4 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. A fine idea . . . by taustin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Except that no system is prefectly secure.

    And once someone finds a hole in this magic system, it will become the most effective means of distributing viruses ever invented.

  2. 1+1=11 by glaswegian · · Score: 5, Insightful
    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.'

    I make it 0.4% ...

  3. Load Of Dung by Spinlock_1977 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I like the magic part where this incredibly advanced piece of software figures out that the machine has been infected. It's so smart, in fact, it can figure out what viral signature can uniquely identify it.

    Ya know, if ya had some code that could reliably identify virii without signatures, wouldn't we all be running *that* on all our desktops?

    --
    - The Kessel run is for nerf herders. I can circumnavigate the entire Central Finite Curve in a lot less than 12 parse
  4. Re:WOW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're a teacher? It's not 0.004%, it's 0.004. 0.004% is actually 0.00004. Come back when you've had a little Excel training maybe.