The methods used to test AV products are simply bogus. I would really implore you all to read an article published on The Register today. As an ex-employee of one of the world's largest AV vendors, what it says is not only fact but something you should all take into consideration
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/09/anti_virus _testing/
Yes, people who are trying to legitimately use those IRC networks are being redirected away from where they actually wanted to go, which for anybody with even vague technical knowledge can get around easily (ie nslookup off another nameserver to find the real IP), those who aren't so technically inclined (or haven't read Slashdot/Wired to figure out what's going on) are going to be screwed until they find another server to use.
As for "so the end justifies the means" - Consider it an online War Against Terror(tm):)
Frankly, I think it's about time somebody started ACTING on the problems we face online. Botnets are a huge global issue, and we simply must do all that we can to stop them.
Although I suppose this probably could be considered illegal (remotely installing software on somebody's PC without their authorisation breaks pretty much every anti-hacking law in the land), how else can we tackle these issues?
Zombie PCs aren't going away any time soon, so more needs to be done.
The only problem is as the OP originally stated - botnet control is moving away from IRC networks anyway, so this may also be a case of too little too late.
What other methods can be used to help curb the botnet problem?
Sites like http://www.plus613.net/ and http://www.porn613.net/ have been doing relatively uncensored image galleries etc for years, and there's a million sites out there that let you store RAR/ZIP and other file formats, is this really news?
These arguments have been said a million times before. DRM shouldn't infringe on user's rights, etc etc.
The problem is, the simple inclusion of DRM at all usually infringes on those rights, so how can the two coexist?
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The methods used to test AV products are simply bogus. I would really implore you all to read an article published on The Register today. As an ex-employee of one of the world's largest AV vendors, what it says is not only fact but something you should all take into consideration http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/09/anti_virus _testing/
Yes, people who are trying to legitimately use those IRC networks are being redirected away from where they actually wanted to go, which for anybody with even vague technical knowledge can get around easily (ie nslookup off another nameserver to find the real IP), those who aren't so technically inclined (or haven't read Slashdot/Wired to figure out what's going on) are going to be screwed until they find another server to use. As for "so the end justifies the means" - Consider it an online War Against Terror(tm) :)
Frankly, I think it's about time somebody started ACTING on the problems we face online. Botnets are a huge global issue, and we simply must do all that we can to stop them. Although I suppose this probably could be considered illegal (remotely installing software on somebody's PC without their authorisation breaks pretty much every anti-hacking law in the land), how else can we tackle these issues? Zombie PCs aren't going away any time soon, so more needs to be done. The only problem is as the OP originally stated - botnet control is moving away from IRC networks anyway, so this may also be a case of too little too late. What other methods can be used to help curb the botnet problem?
Sites like http://www.plus613.net/ and http://www.porn613.net/ have been doing relatively uncensored image galleries etc for years, and there's a million sites out there that let you store RAR/ZIP and other file formats, is this really news?
These arguments have been said a million times before. DRM shouldn't infringe on user's rights, etc etc. The problem is, the simple inclusion of DRM at all usually infringes on those rights, so how can the two coexist?
BEEFCAKE! BEEEEFCAAAAKE