Australia Proposes Botnet Clampdown Initiative

The Internet Industry Association in Australia has proposed a new rule, according to which, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must get in touch and in extreme cases disconnect customers who operate malware infected computers.

The pilot schemes of data sharing in Australia are applauded as they lead to the reduction of systems ridden with malware. In an Australian Internet Security Initiative program in 2007, about 68 ISPs participated with complaints coming in of 10,000 system hijackings daily. The program, which spanned for four years, cost a moderate A$ 4.7 Million.

Meanwhile, the proposed rule (not mandatory) suggests that ISPs protect their customers via an approach comprising four stages. These are detecting hijacked computers, getting in touch with affected customers, providing information and recommendation for restoring the compromised machines, and issuing warnings about severe attacks especially those, which might endanger national security.

When an ISP adopting the rule identifies an infected system, it must get in touch with the customer to advise him regarding clean-up operations. The program offers an arrangement for reporting.

Moreover, ISPs, which follow the program, are privileged to show on their website the IIA tortoise symbol.

Although a technique that detects, prevents compromised customers and provides "clean-feed" Web traffic does exist, it isn't cheap to install.

Commenting on the point, Internet security experts state - it is uncertain whether ISPs would be capable of building a commercial scheme to get clients to spend money for security-improved services. In fact, it is one the main hindrance to the overall system of online security. While ISPs would be facilitating Internet hygiene by participating in a scheme to clampdown zombies, it would remain unfulfilled if the scheme puts the providers at a relatively disadvantageous position against those who anyway continue to infect systems.

However, a survey showed that security specialists appreciated the fundamental notion of Internet cleaning given that numerous blacklisted ISPs that infest the Internet.

Internet Security Company AVG's 'Roger Thompson' states that although the problem is sufficiently large, it is worth adopting the counter-measure, as reported by TheRegister on September 15, 2009.

Related article: Australian Blogger Uses Spam To Boost Blog

» SPAMfighter News - 10/5/2009