I have just read an article on home users and security issues

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Oct25.html

Most users dont know the difference between a desktop firewall and an AV program...and are unaware that they are infected with malware.

USA Today noted, "Debate continues over who is responsible for securing the Internet. Tech suppliers say they are doing all they can and consumers need to do more. Critics say tech suppliers should work harder to stem the flow of malicious traffic at major Internet gateways. 'This survey reinforces the truth that nagging consumers to add firewalls and anti-virus tools, and to implement difficult updating processes, is a failed strategy,' says Alan Paller, research director at the SANS Institute, an Internet security training center."
I was wondering what the AO members thoughts are on the ISPs\providers responsiblity on filtering malicious traffic??

IMHO ... I think they should be filtering traffic for home users, currently my ISP offers a firewall service...for a monthly "fee". Having a hardware firewall already...so I dont need it...and I consider myself fairly computer\security savy...but I would not say I am the "average" home user (although my kids are..I clean about 200 spyware each week off their computer)...and obviously we cant leave it up to the home user to be securing themselves...Its just not working.

If the ISPs were able to shut off this type of traffic...from the home user...

Wouldn't it make for more secure internet????

Wouldn't the ISPs benefit from this...in the reduction of traffic and bandwidth??


Dont get me wrong...I understand that there are several unpatched business\webservers etc out there... and that business requirements greatly differ from home user (would be a different service offering from the ISPs as the filtering may interfer with services required by business)

but if we could "control" the home users enviroment it should dramatically reduce the malware...


Or is this TOO Big Brotherish

Just thoughts

MMLF