Storm Worm botnet cracked wide open

http://www.heise-online.co.uk/news/Storm-Worm-botnet-cracked-wide-open--/112385

 

A number of concerns are being discussed in other places; some of these concerns are mentioned in the article itself:

Besides, taking down one supply route will inevitably spawn another. As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply. Even if as of tomorrow, all infected computers in the world were cleaned and no more botnets existed, other ways of supply would emerge.

This is not to ignore the supply side of the equation, but, as in the so-called "war" on illegal drugs, not enough consideration is given to the demand problem.

I made an informal, non-scientific survey of friends and acquaintances a while back and was a bit surprised at how many did open that email attachment offering low-cost this or that, or did follow a link to a web site "just out of curiosity" and, of course, "didn't intend to purchase anything." One person likened it to opening a bulk mailing that arrives by standard mail: "if I don't respond, they get nothing from me."

Not understood by many is that even just clicking to visit the site often is a penny or nickel in the pockets of someone on the supply side. Multiply that by millions of "curiosity seekers" and those who purchase, and you can see the scope of the problem.

The only way to shut down the supply is to reduce the demand. The unfortunate closing of many legitimate businesses in today's economy for lack of customers is proof of this.

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rich