The Virus "Blame Game"...

Can't we all just get along and do our part? Must we engage in all this "finger pointing"?

- Vendors fault?
Anti-virus industry running on fear and dodgy statistics
- Virus experts blame other virus experts
29 August 2003
http://www.silicon.com/news/500013/14/5784.html
"Anti-virus experts say the metrics surrounding the spread of computer viruses and worms leave a lot to be desired, and have criticised some companies for attempting to capitalise on fear, uncertainty and doubt.
- Chy Chuawiwat...mail filtering software...Clearswift...said some of the data he's seen companies release just doesn't add up. 'Why is no-one questioning them?' he asked. 'The industry is running on fear, uncertainty, doubt and unsubstantiated statistics.'...He saw the estimated distribution figures from...vendors incrementing by 50,000 in sequential updates...no way that data could be backed up...
- Computer Associates' head of anti-virus research and development, Dr Eugene Dozortsev...'Somehow we have to keep the balance between alerting the users to something that we think is going to be a problem, but on the other hand not to alert people to things that don't go anywhere,' he said...The company must be careful not to cry wolf. 'We try to be very responsible...We try not to over-alert people.'..."

- End-users fault?
Computer hackers costing businesses billions
August 29, 2003
http://www.ds-osac.org/print.cfm?key=7E4555444257&type=2B170C1E0A3A0F162820
"WASHINGTON - Security firms say the SOBIG.F e-mail virus has only added to this year's already big bill for fighting hacker attacks. It's cost as much as $3 billion in lost productivity...The cost of fighting all the worms and viruses this year could top last year's $11 billion.
"I've been working with computer viruses for 12 to 13 years, the last two weeks have been the worst years of my career," said Mikko Hypponen, head researcher with F-Secure, a company that sells anti-virus software...
- According to one survey, 61 percent of consumers haven't updated their anti-virus software recently and 50 percent said they update monthly..."

 

hm they say the fall of Rome was largely due to interior bickering etc

 

Is it a worm, a virus, or a trojan?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/32672.html
05/09/2003 at 07:25 GMT
"...Am I the only one here who feels we have a serious problem communicating?...I don't think it is possible for consumers to protect themselves based purely on software or hardware. They need to understand more about malware, why it gets them, what to look for...Unfortunately, we continue to sprinkle pixie dust on everything we do in an effort to market products. If the consumer thinks it's too complex for them to comprehend, and we enforce that theory by constantly confusing them, maybe they'll buy annual update contracts and our next single button solution to the problem. Some people in the industry seem surprised that for two weeks in August consumers were pummeled with viruses. After all, we told them to patch against the "RPC/DCOM" vulnerability. We told them to apply "MS03-026", which Windows Update calls "823980." We increased ThreatCon, AlertCon, and InfoCon Security Levels...Clearly the approach we're using isn't working...Just imagine what might happen if we make it simpler for the public to grasp these events, who knows, we might even get them to stop opening attachments!"

 

The blame game is popular, but view this technology like a house. The building contractor is legit, everything is up to code and the quality of the work is fine. Then some criminal strikes a match to it. Who’s to blame if it burns down? The carpet manufacturer? The furniture maker? The lumber company? The drapery designer? None made the components 100% fire proof and even metal can burn. Perhaps it’s me, for expecting to live in a normal house with normal things? Can I take steps to limit my risk? Sure, but I still blame the guy who strikes the match.

Regards, Rick

 

burn baby burn but this has been going on since dawn a time its easyer to point the fingher then it is to admit hey i screwed up.