Stopping open proxies and open relays

Sat Feb 7 05:37:27 UTC 2004

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nanog at merit.edu [mailto:owner-nanog at merit.edu] On 
> Behalf Of Robin Lynn Frank
> Sent: February 7, 2004 12:29 AM
> To: nanog at merit.edu
> Subject: Re: Stopping open proxies and open relays
> 
> 
> 
> On Friday 06 February 2004 21:00, Adi Linden  wrote:
> > > > There are valid reasons not to run antivirus software,
> > >
> > > And they are?
> >
> > P90w/32MB running Win95 used for email only... or insufficient 
> > finances to purchase anti virus software... to name a couple.
> >
> Not to be argumentative, but by that logic, I guess it is 
> okay to drive my 
> 1948 Ford which doesn't have brakes if I don't have the cash 
> to fix it.

There's a big difference between the two. If you drive your 1948 Ford
without brakes, the local law enforcement agency will make sure it's not in
your interest to repeat the mistake a second time. If you leave your
computer unsecured, well... realistically, no one is going to fine/jail/etc
you whatever the law provides for driving an unfit vehicle.

Now, if hooking up an unsecured computer to a network was punishable by a
$1000 fine, and law enforcement somehow had the staff to prosecute all
offenders (or a representative sample), I'm sure everybody would agree that
suddenly they'd be able to afford antiviruses.

Vivien
-- 
Vivien M.
vivienm at dyndns.org
Assistant System Administrator
Dynamic Network Services, Inc.
http://www.dyndns.org/ 