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Re: [LUG] Linux - and security

 

bad apple <ifindthatinteresting@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> In computer security, there is no such thing as
>"good enough"!

This is interesting idea.

Alec Muffett was commenting a few weeks ago in his blog (I paraphrase)
that we might argue that because we aren't seeing extensive disruption
(death of the Internet) and people are still using it, that perhaps
security we have currently is "good enough". I think he was trying to
highlight that there probably is a "good enough" rather than sincerely
believing we are there already.

Given how much of my time is spent dealing with bad guys using MS
Windows based botnets, and how many online scams I come across, I think
it is safe to say that the Internet is a dangerous place. But are there
limits on how safe it can become?

The world is a dangerous place, and it may be that the Internet
fundamentally changes the perspective in the same way cars or aeroplanes
have. I was largely safe from Americans 100 years ago unless they
declared a war, now they can drop a bomb on my head from an unmanned
drone anywhere in the world in less than a day. Am I less safe as a
result? There are benefits to this new aeroplane infested world, overall
we do better and it is the CO2 they emit which appears to be the biggest
threat to me.

I can imagine a world where it is harder to gather botnets from
unsuspecting people, but I'm not sure this means that DDoS will
disappear, we are already seeing some groups using DDoS in a political
manner (although I think this is misguided as it may have unexpected
collateral damage). Those with resources can hire clouds or bits of
diverse clouds cheaply to a similar effect. People can do bait and
switch on applications on mobile phone and tablet apps. So whilst there
may be shifts in the types of attack, I wonder how much it can change.

As noted many of the attacks are social engineering, and whilst people
have been getting smarter (Flynn effect) that seems to be slowing down,
and ultimately if you can fool folks into doing something silly then the
net will likely stay full of nasties.

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