What is Digg?136 Comments
- brosner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3for those of you who called the video bs consider a nat router sitting in front of your computer. that will help filter out many of the malicious requests made to your public ip address. by using that dial-up connection provided an easy direct internet connection which put his ass on the line real fast.
- BionicAntboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This BBC programme brought to you by Apple. ;)
- Photar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Really though, the point is that there are a lot of people out there that bought their computer before Wizbang OS XP Update SP 32 came out, and when their machine gets hosed they use the restore disk.
And, whatever service pack they download isn't going to do alot of good if their system is hosed before they can download the update. - CheeseMan316, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1he was using processexplorer from sysinternals.com to view the processes starting.
- gab00n, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They are starting from a fresh install, most retards don't patch for a while. I have run tests with windows fully patched with no firewall and AV and i got infected in 38 minutes. So if you are patched it just delays the kill.
- teamparadox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Interesting but I formated my XP PRO system bout a week ago and I was connected to the net for about 20 min without any patches and maybe an hour before any firewall, and I didnt get a single thing...odd I call BS.
- stealthboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I just don't understand how you windows users put up with this. You shouldn't HAVE TO buy a firewall and virus software just to use your machine. It'd be like buying a car, but then you have to also go out and purchase brakes and seatbelts separately.
Get a clue and switch to OS X. - helfire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1jkfan87: well i'm assuming you weren't running XP in 96-00. The viruses/worms they are talking about spread by scanning and exploiting flaws in xp. If you got any monitoring software and had a public ip (not behind a nat) you would see a scan of your computer fairly quickly.
So since the system they're talking about and the viruses they're talking about you weren't using, shut up.
And this interview is proving it, and alota other articles. - .Steven, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Common Sense = Best security ever
Common Sense > Cisco Pix 515E - Hollandboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I drag a program in my application folder... and that is hard as appose to double clicking a program (.exe) and clicking next next next yes and finish. And then you don't know where the program put all its files. And uninstalling it is a pain because it leaves half od its junk on the computer. Yeah windows xp is so much easier to use. Oh yeah you need to install antivirus software running at real time eating your cpu and memory and you need to keep it up to date.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0sorry about that, put a post twice.........., stupid.
- ChaosElement, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Then learn programming and change it so it doesn't suck. The thing about OSS is that if you don't like something change it.
It would be a much more productive use of your time than playing games."
I have been learning. Slowly, I might add, but surely.
"Or get a life."
Jesus christ. Just because I play video games as a way to entertain myself during my free time, which I don't have much of,
does not mean I don't have a life. I barely even made any mention about video games.
"A reformat is a big deal, and not that simple. You wast so much time and lose all your information (unless you waste even
more time backing it up and restoring it). You have to set up all your programs again, and reconfigure everything so it
suits you. But seeing as you waste time playing games on a regular basis, the time issue has no meaning for you."
Sure, it's unnecessary and stupid to have to reformat, but whatever. It's not a big deal. It only takes about half an hour
to get everything set up and running back the way I had it before I reformatted. Most of that time can be used working on
something else.
"Something you will realize when you get a job. (Hint: you won't get one by playing games.)"
Yeah, because it's not possible to play games every once and a while and still manage a job. (NOTE the sarcasm) - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Most hackers will hack for FUN, MONEY, FAME, but, i think some do it to hurt WINDOWS, thats what i think. has anyone else thought that?
- mu-sly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@ChaosElement: Another fundamental difference between Windows and Linux that makes Linux more secure is that on Windows, you can name any file ".exe" and it automatically becomes executable. Whereas on Linux, if I want to to run a file, I have to specifically make it executable. Now, while this seems like a subtle difference, the upshot is that even if I downloaded a malicious executable, the only way it can become executable is if I specifically tell it to be executable - regardless of whatever it's file extension is.
This small but significant difference is yet another reason why Microsoft's lack of foresight on Windows security architecture (protecting the user from themselves) means that Windows is far more susceptable to exploitation.
When you consider that very many Windows users always run as Administrator, whereas almost no *nix user routinely runs as Root, that's the difference right there. Windows just has too many ways for a small amount of social engineering to enable malicious code to arrive on a user's machine, get run and cause havoc, whereas Linux, even if you tricked me into downloading some malicious code, I'd have to make it executable after that, and even then, the worst you could do is destroy my personal files - the system remains untouchable.
THAT is the difference. - M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Hey, I'll probably get flamed to high hell...
But I particularly like Windows, simply for the fact that it's as simple as click, click. Very user friendly and anyone with a little time can use and navigate Windows. But I have not had the same experience with Mandrake / Apple etc. ***** is harder to find, and harder to install, "I" particularly don't like having to waste time learning something new, when what I've been using for the last 10 years has suite me well. And to mention that the only reason people might use something else, would be their disdain for Windows. If you have a good AV and Good hardware/software firewall combination, then I'd be willing to bet Windows is as hard to ***** with as Linux.
Kerio / Kaspersky / PeerGuardian / And of course a good anti spyware.
But this is just my ignorant - flump, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0JimGardner1973, the reason Mac's and Linux don't have as many virus'/hacks is because their market share is much smaller than Windows. Sure there's still a hell of a lot of people using them, but why go after small fry?
The only thing that's going to affect a bare xp system is a worm/service vunerability. i often run without my firewall on, and no AV, my system's always been fine. - rmccs0x, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0interesting find.. i digg..
- bubbazanetti, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0mu-sly, yup!
Another reason *nix is harder to get a virus...but it is hard to install ANY software on a *nix box.
Since the new macs are running *nix, the same thing will apply...and software was hard to install on the old Mac OS also.
Sure the windows series has holes big enough to drive trucks through...but all the software is available for them, and it installs easily.
If you are smart enough to run Linux, then you are smart enough to keep windows secure. If you aren't smart enough to run Linux...then you don't know how to keep windows secure. Luckily the new updates clamp down windows...unfortunately if you are smart enough to know how to use those tools, you will find them more of a hindrance than a help...I turn them all off. - M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If this makes Diggnation withouth it being mentioned how old and how illogical this is, then I couldn't even describe in words, how sad that would be.
- M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it's easy for anyone else."
Well, I can't argue with you there, since I said I like it better, and never said it was easy for everyone else. :)
I'd like to ask, how do I run/install/whatever a program for Linux.
What files do I look for? What's the equivalent to windows exes?
How do I install those files? (compile? how?)
Please, I'd really would like to know, I'm a beginner at Linux and to be honest don't have a lot of time to go looking on google for it. So if you could explain, I'd appreciate it, because I've had Mandriva LE 2005, and Vectorlinux for a while, and couldn't find how to install enlightenment on Vector. Is just so backwards from Windows, it's (what's the right word)... frustrating.
Got a perfect link?
And please no smart ass people with the "*****.com" etc. I don't like talking to computers. - vkkim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"I'd like to ask, how do I run/install/whatever a program for Linux.
What files do I look for? What's the equivalent to windows exes?
How do I install those files? (compile? how?)"
Use apt, up2date, yum, portage, or whatever package manager comes with your distro. For the Debain-based ones, type apt-get install [package name]. No compliling, no worrying about dependencies, no looking for any files. Much easier than any "setup" or "installer" program, and no "unzipping" either.
To run your newly installed programs, simply type the name of the program you want. For example, if you want to run Firefox just type "firefox". If you insist on a GUI, your new program will show up conveniently in your GNI inteface of choice (since I'm using GNOME, it would show up in Applications>Internet, complete with a cute little icon.)
Equivalencies:
Firefox=Firefox
Opera=Opera
GAIM/AIM/MSN/Yahoo/GTalk/ICQ=GAIM
Azureus=Azureus
OOo/MS Word=OOo, abiword, Crossover Office if you just HAVE to use MS Office
WMP, VLC=xine, VLC
WMP/Winamp/iTunes=XMMS
I don't know about you, but if I'm ever forced to use Windows, I just use all my open-source Linux software ported to Windows. If you use open-source software in Windows, you'll probably find it ported to Linux. If not, there are plenty of open-source alternatives equal or better to their MS closed source counterparts. Oh, and of course, they're all free. Which is always a good thing. - M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0THANK YOU vkkim. :)
- XorSystem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This article is freaking amazing..... I remember the innocent times of having the 'option' of anti-virus.... now it's not only mandatory for accessing the net, but add a hardware and software firewall to that equation.....
- vkkim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"But I particularly like Windows, simply for the fact that it's as simple as click, click. Very user friendly and anyone with a little time can use and navigate Windows. But I have not had the same experience with Mandrake / Apple etc. ***** is harder to find, and harder to install, "I" particularly don't like having to waste time learning something new, when what I've been using for the last 10 years has suite me well. And to mention that the only reason people might use something else, would be their disdain for Windows. If you have a good AV and Good hardware/software firewall combination, then I'd be willing to bet Windows is as hard to ***** with as Linux."
Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it's easy for anyone else. For you, Windows is the best OS. Others, however, see a (for example) GNOME interface to be much more intuitive and easier to find things. They might think, "Why the hell do I have to search through a programs menu in this "start" button to find what I want to do? Why can't I just put all my executables in /bin and all my settings in /etc? What the hell is this stupid registry? Why do I have to go to some website, download a zipped file, make sure I have some decompressing program installed (if it is in .rar or other format), find where I decompressed my installer to, click "next" over and over, restart my entire computer, then search for a few minutes in the start menu again to find it? Why doesn't Windows have yum, up2date, apt, portage, or some other package manager where I can simply type apt-get install?"
And the fact remains that most people DON'T install a good AV or firewall and keep them updated. That's why viruses and worms still exist. Most people's first firewall was the one that came with SP2. Security must be invisible to the end-user, or else your average Joe would never want to deal with it and just close all the popups manually.
"To add I have never had any problems with Windows because I do not download crap from P2P networks, I keep it patched and I use a hardware firewall"
Good for you, you represent the minority of Windows users. Your average teen who uses their computer to download crap using Kazaa and IM their friends doesn't have any kind of protection and click on every "FREE XXX HOT LESBIAN SEX" they see.
If they did that on Linux, designed to be a multi-user OS, all the damage would be contained within their home folder. And the computer would keep running as if nothing happened. - *Ica*, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"do they have that show in the US"
Not afaik, its on BBC World in most countries BUT America, you guys get BBC America instead and its on BBC news 24 here in the UK.
Decent show. - nicholasmchugh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0People hate Windows because it is popular to hate Windows. IMHO it is childish to go around all the time and bash something. I use Linux more but I have to admit that Windows is indeed easier to use. Things change though. Windows Vista will deal a huge blow to Linux with one feature, locking normal accounts down.
- nicholasmchugh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0To add I have never had any problems with Windows because I do not download crap from P2P networks, I keep it patched and I use a hardware firewall
- M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0So logically that would mean everyone who dugg this story, MUST hate Windows, and in turn, they enjoying seeing all the bad press about Windows.
Because who, as of today, uses no firewall, no AV, no anti-spy, and dial-up.
This person doesn't exist, if they know how to use a computer, connect to the internet etc. One would only logically think this person has heard of an Anti-Virus program, or Firewall before.
I mean, wtf?
It has to be a case of jealously or am I missing something? - M4tt3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0^CUT OFF //// ..... opinion.
Why do people hate windows so much? Besides the virus crap. - micromause, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"A virus scanner and a firewall are a damn fine idea." heh...
- SilentSpyder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I forgot something, to be fair there a security updates on a Mac from time to time.
- musicbear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The real moral of this story has nothing to do with the average digg user. The average digg user knows about tweaking his computer and his firewalls and his avs and his spyware programs and he knows about protecting himself on the net. This wasn't about you.
This was about the average mom and pop user who has NO IDEA about HOW to use a computer or what they actually want to use it for, let alone about all the technical crap for protecting themselves on the net they'll need to know about, or about all the wasted man hours (and dollars) they'll have to spend keeping their Windows computer safe. This is about the legion of folk who do exactly what the video shows and allow their machine to become unusable and to become a zombie PC. It's about how just by connecting a Windows machine to the net, it can render the PC usuable - to the point where these tech savvy-less folks only have a few options - reformat the hard drive, losing all the files and stuff - or just getting a new computer - losing all their files and stuff. Grandma just wants to send an e-mail and look at web site or two. How would she know that by clicking a link in an innocent looking website or e-mail would mean that her entire machine is now basically unusable.
The bottom line is - it's inexcusable that people should have to put up with a major OS being that is so vulnerable to criminal activity (or what should be criminal activity). Microsoft should be held accountable. If AOL can be held accountible for being difficult to cancel from, surely Microsoft is RIPE for a class action suit. The average user should not have to put up with this just to send an e-mail or browse the web.
If you are at the point of buying new hardware, now would be time to investigate your options beyond just buying another computer installed with Windows - Windows wont suddenly work better in a new box. - nomore, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My company has a VPN that connected 25 locations around the UK. We have around 150 PCs. Most run Windows 2000 Pro SP4, and about 20 run Windows XP Pro SP2. We also have a corporate licence for our anti-virus software, which is kept up to date and install on all PCs. All our networks are protected by a hardware firewall, encrypted VPN tunnels, and a lot of popular ports (e.g. 80) are blocked.
I few months ago, someone in the finance department opened an email attachment. A virus very quickly spread to roughly 1/3 of the company computers across the VPN, choking the CPU and slowing the systems down to a crawl. Most of our computers run business critical software, without which, it would be almost impossible for our business to run effectively.
It took my staff 2 weeks to sort out the mess and get everything back to where it was.
I will also mention that we run a few Macs with OS X, some SCO Open Servers, and some Linux based computers... and not once has there been a problem with these.
There are two conclusions for this:
1. Virus/malware writers target Windows because it's the market leader.
2. Linux, Unix and OS X are much more secure.
I know for a fact that number 2 is true. Unix type OSs are built from the ground up to be multiuser, with permissions on absolutlely everything
WIndows (DOS & NT based) are toy consumer desktop OSs (much like Mac OS 1-9). The networking (e.g. TCP/IP stack), multi-user and espcially security permissions have all been added after the initial design. Therefore, Windows went from a desktop OS with no network activity (average computers 10 years ago had no networks/internet) to an OS which is online 24/7... via bolt-ons.
Option 1, however is also true... but I would bet that if there were people tried to damage systems running Linux/OSX/Windows equally, Windows would still come out far worse that the other two. - Maldy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Agreed with Farry - great summary. A complete PITA, but it does work for us poor ole Windows users.
I have seen brand new Windows PCs BSOD within minutes of being connetced to an ADSL line - but I've also seen bare bones XP running for weeks on a leased line network with no firewall. - SilentSpyder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0on Windows
"NAT router - prevents inbound unsolicited traffic (very effective security)
Antivirus - mainly prevents viruses from emails and removable media
Software firewall - mainly prevents unwanted outbound traffic
-XP firewall defaults are not bad
Anti malware - mainly prevents buggy, unwanted advertising scripts
-Microsoft's AntiSpyware is quite good, surprising for MS stuff
OS patches, updates - removes identified vulnerabilities on OS
Firefox browser - extentions like adblock are nice to haves
Wireless encryption - (since we're on security), often overlooked
-WEP '128'bit is better than nothing, dont broadcast SSID, open > shared"
on a Mac
-Turn on.
And yes I do agree that if Apple was bigger they would get targeted, but so far it's not the case so use a Mac. - PlancksCnst, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is rediculous. They had a hacker sitting waiting for the pc to connect so he can attack it. I never run av or firewall. I had NAT for a while, but I have straight dial-up now. Every once in a while I'll do an av scan. I don't update because it takes FOREVER. I take it to somewhere that has broadband every few 6 months or so to update Windows and virus defs. I am very aware of what goes on in my system. I'm downright anal about it. I love Hijack This. I have never -not once, ever- been infected with a virus. Back when I lived with my family we had a spyware/adware problem because of clusers, but it was always easily fixable. This is *****.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think we know why WINDOWS is so big, maybe that is why there are some hackers, wanting to get their revenge or something back on BILL.
Some do it for fun, money, but i think some do it to hurt WINDOWS personally. - mu-sly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@farry: But why would you want to run all that crap, when you can just run *nix or Mac and barely have to worry about it? Anti-virus, anti-malware... waste of CPU cycles. OK, I admit, I run a software firewall, but that's more to hide my machines from probes than anything else. Finally, if I forget to patch my system, it's not going to blow up in my face. Chances are, nothing will happen to it at all, which is just how I like it. I do still use Windows sometimes, but only for very specific tasks (testing websites in IE, music writing, game playing)... Linux all the way for everything else.
- MarkByers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You don't need a firewall or anti-virus. Just use a secure Operating System and run only the services that you want to run. For most home users this would mean running no services. (How many home users run a web server from their desktop PC?)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0you have to remember that he was using a dial-up account. If you have a router you at least have some protection thru NAT and port-blocking but it's still not 100% secure. For instance if you open ports for a file-sharing program such as BitTorrent on your router then you are inviting unwanted nasties into your PC. If you have an antivirus program and anti-spyware program running then you will stop them but otherwise you are wide open to attacks. I use AVG simply because its free and does a damn good job as well as spyware checkers. Better to be safe than sorry.
- farry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Far too many people pretending they know anything.
Any competant power user that hardens their system and network already know of the dangers posed by the wild internet by looking through their audit logs.
An adequate secure setup for Windows XP internet user:
NAT router - prevents inbound unsolicited traffic (very effective security)
Antivirus - mainly prevents viruses from emails and removable media
Software firewall - mainly prevents unwanted outbound traffic
-XP firewall defaults are not bad
Anti malware - mainly prevents buggy, unwanted advertising scripts
-Microsoft's AntiSpyware is quite good, surprising for MS stuff
OS patches, updates - removes identified vulnerabilities on OS
Firefox browser - extentions like adblock are nice to haves
Wireless encryption - (since we're on security), often overlooked
-WEP '128'bit is better than nothing, dont broadcast SSID, open > shared - Swipe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Article dated April OLD NEWS!!!!!!
It doesn't take a video to guess what would happen. - AdamCo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Oh, and if you were wondering, I'm running GNU/Linux and have been perfectly fine ONE HUNDERED PERCENT of the time and have NEVER been infected by any virus or worm."
If that was towards my comment up there, I meant while running Windows, I was going to put that, but forgot. - vkkim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"If that was towards my comment up there, I meant while running Windows, I was going to put that, but forgot."
It wasn't. - unununium, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0fragalot: if you were running Windows 98 I doubt anything would happen. Most of the worms floating around only affect Windows XP and 2000.
- karamba_kid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I would have liked to see how it dealt if he was logged in as an actual user. I know windows defaults to an admin account but I sure don't use the administrators account very often.
- freelancer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Jim Garrdner you have a firewall running or your isp does, gutsy challenge though..
Name: cpc4-stoc5-3-0-cust74.midd.cable.ntl.com
IP Address: 82.0.18.74
Location: Stockton-on-Tees (54.583N, 1.417W)
Network: 82-RIPE
Registrant:
NTL Internet Ltd
Caradog House
Cleppa Park
Newport, Gwent np10 8ug
UK - eigh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i has hoping to dl it, i had trouble streaming it. i did see that it took 8 seconds to get a worm on there, wow
1. process explorer, ive used it and love it
2. lol headzoo, lol - tnoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is stupid. I've run many computers on many different types of connections, Dial-up through OC-48 connections without AV or Firewalls and not had a problem. Stop with these stupid scare tactics. Yes, AV and Firewalls are needed these days, but don't go around scaring people into thinking they WILL be infected 8seconds after hopping on the Internet. That's just reckless.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is from a program called ClickOnLine, by the BBC world team who bring you the wonderful Kate Russell.
The BBC are famed for their unbiased reporting of everything from Zimbabwe to Dr. David Kelly's brief to journalists about the four minutes of Saddam's WMD's being an invention of No. 10 downing street.
In other words, when they tell you this machine was infected in 8 seconds, trust me - it was infected in 8 seconds.
Towards the end there, when he said "Proof as if it were needed, you need a firewall", I'd swear what he really wanted to say was "Look, to be on the safe side - ditch Windows altogether."
All the tripe some people here have come out with about how no one rights worms for Mac because they're not as popular just really winds me up. Listen and learn. 4.7% of U.S. market share is a LOT of computers, let alone the millions of machines they sell overseas.
The reason Mac's don't suffer from attacks like this is because their Operating System was written by people who know what they are doing. End of.
I have NO firewall. My IP address is 82.0.18.74. Go ahead. HACK ME! -
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