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Australian ISPs To Disconnect Botnet "Zombies"

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the want-braaaains dept.

jibjibjib writes "Some of Australia's largest ISPs are preparing an industry code of conduct to identify and respond to users with botnet-infected computers. The Internet Industry Association, made up of over 200 ISPs and technology companies, is preparing the code in response to an ultimatum from the federal government. ISPs will try to contact the user, slow down their connection, and ultimately terminate the connection if the user refuses to fix the problem. It is hoped that this will reduce the growth of botnets in Australia, which had the world's third-highest rate of new 'zombies' (behind the US and China)."

8 of 213 comments (clear)

  1. Bad Precedent? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'd rather not have my ISP decide what is a "virus" or "inappropriate communications" thank you. If the users are consuming too much bandwidth then disconnect them on those grounds, but please don't set this precedent.

  2. Who will fix the problem? by ATestR · · Score: 4, Insightful

    if the user refuses to fix the problem

    The users who are likely to be infected by a bot are the least likely to be able to "fix the problem".

    --
    âoeAny society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
    1. Re:Who will fix the problem? by MrMr · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Being unwilling to learn, or unwilling to ask someone who does know, would still qualify as refusing to fix the problem.
      Here's a car analogy for you:
      The users who are likely to crash by failing breaks are the least likely to be able to repair their own brakes...

  3. Re:Stop tinkering with things they don't understan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Quit trying to speak for the whole rest of the world. You are not qualifyied.

  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. Re:Privacy by DavidTC · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, it's more like your phone company disconnecting you for repeatedly making prank calls.

    Which, in fact, they will.

    --
    If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
  6. Re:Stop tinkering with things they don't understan by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously? This needed to be done for all countries 10 years ago.

    Assuming you trust them to stop at botnets and not include p2p, vpn, uunet, private mail servers out of the country, list servers, and other legitimate traffic.

  7. Re:Give a discount to those running clean systems. by dc29A · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've never heard people suggest that before, but the idea of "using open source = discount on your internet bill" is a good idea.

    Do it in a very simple way: if you're not running windows or OSX, you get a 5% discount your bill. Some might differ on whether to put OSX in the "Do not run" category.

    The rest is too discriminatory and too extreme.

    There are people out there who are able to configure Windows to be as secure as *Nix or Mac OS. Why penalize them? Penalize the retards who run Windows/*nix/Mac OS as administrator. Penalize the retards who are infected with the botnet zombie 'du jour'. Penalize the retards who mindlessly click on every 'OMGZ YOU WIN IPOD TOUCH CLICK HERE PLZ!111!!!!!!oneoneeleventy!~one!' banners.