[LINK] Australians will have to have antivirus software?

[Kim Holburn]

May the FSM protect us from politicians with *ideas*.

Some of these are all right.

I particularly liked:
> . Companies who release IT products with security vulnerabilities  
> should be open to claims for compensation by consumers.
>

This is sort of OK:
> . If a customer's computer was infected by malware, the service  
> provider could introduce gradual restrictions and eventually cut off  
> their internet connection entirely until the machine was "remediated".
>

but tending towards "ISPs examining your connection to see what you're  
doing".   If the customer's computer is infected with malware you  
could just charge them Telstra data rates and they would probably soon  
sort it out.  Um... hey we do that already!

On the other hand though, what were they thinking:
> . Changes to the law to make unauthorised installation of software  
> illegal.
>

?  WTF?

> . For their part, customers would have to install anti-virus and  
> firewall software before their connection was activated and  
> endeavour to keep the software up-to-date.
>


So would linux be "unauthorised software"?

> . The code of practice would see companies like Telstra give their  
> customers security advice when they signed up and
>
Yeah, that'd go down well with grandma.
> inform them if their computer ever appeared to be compromised.
>

Sort of OK.  A sort of security version of three strikes and you're out?


http://www.news.com.au/technology/no-anti-virus-software-no-internet-connection/story-e6frfro0-1225882656490

> No anti-virus software? No internet connection
> 	• By Andrew Ramadge, Technology Reporter
> 	• From: news.com.au
> 	• June 22, 2010 10:29AM
> A parliamentary committee has come up with some big ideas for  
> combating cyber crime.
>
> AUSTRALIANS would be forced to install anti-virus and firewall  
> software on their computers before being allowed to connect to the   
> internet under a new plan to fight cyber crime.
> And if their computer did get infected, internet service providers  
> like Telstra and Optus could cut off their connection until the  
> problem was resolved.
>
> Those are two of the recommendations to come from a year-long  
> inquiry into cyber crime by the House of Representatives Standing  
> Committee on Communications.
>
> Results of the inquiry, titled Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets:  
> Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime, were released last night in a  
> 260-page report.
>
> In her foreword, committee chair Belinda Neal said cyber crime had  
> turned into a "sophisticated underground economy".
>
> "In the past decade, cyber crime has grown from the nuisance of the  
> cyber smart hacker into an organised transnational crime committed  
> for vast profit and often with devastating consequences for its  
> victims," Ms Neal said.
>
> During its inquiry the committee heard a growing number of  
> Australians were being targeted by cyber criminals and that  
> increasing  internet speeds were likely to make the situation worse.
>
> It also heard the problem was costing Australian businesses as much  
> as $649 million a year.
>
> The committee looked at several different examples of cyber crime,  
> including hacking, phishing, malware and botnets.
>
> Among its final 34 recommendations were:
>
> — The creation of an around-the-clock cyber crime helpline.
>
> — Changes to the law to make unauthorised installation of software  
> illegal.
>
> — Companies who release IT products with security vulnerabilities  
> should be open to claims for compensation by consumers.
>
> Another of its recommendations was to create a new "e-security code  
> of practice" that would define the responsibilities of internet  
> service providers and their customers.
>
> The code of practice would see companies like Telstra give their  
> customers security advice when they signed up and inform them if  
> their computer ever appeared to be compromised.
>
> For their part, customers would have to install anti-virus and  
> firewall software before their connection was activated and  
> endeavour to keep the software up-to-date.
>
> If a customer's computer was infected by malware, the service  
> provider could introduce gradual restrictions and eventually cut off  
> their internet connection entirely until the machine was "remediated".
>


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
T: +61 2 61402408  M: +61 404072753
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request