Topic: Broadband boom makes UK worst for hacked PCs

[Clive]

Dan Ilett
ZDNet UK
March 21, 2005, 13:10 GMT
 
The explosion in broadband take-up in the UK has been blamed for a sudden rise in the number of computers that have been taken over by hackers, according to Symantec's latest Internet Security Threat Report.

Between July and December 2004, Symantec tracked the number of computers that have been compromised by malicious software. More than a quarter (25.2 percent) of all compromised computers it discovered were based in the UK, with the US following closely behind with 24.6 percent, and China in third with 7.8 percent. Symantec says this is because many high-speed Internet users don't have sufficiently robust security.

Symantec wasn't able to say how many bots it discovered in total during the period, or how many were based in the UK. It did say, though, that in July 2004 it was finding an average of 30,000 new compromised PCs each day, which fell to 5,000 per day by December.

"The fact that Britain has the highest percentage of bot infections is significant because it is directly linked to the rapid roll-out of broadband in this country,? explained Nigel Beighton, Symantec?s director of enterprise strategy. "Unfortunately, new broadband users may not be fully aware of the additional safety precautions that need to be taken when using an always-on high-speed Internet connection. Clearly, awareness around security issues is improving and it?s making a notable difference, but education still remains the number one challenge."

Broadband users often leave their home PCs connected to the Internet for many hours, putting them at greater risk of attack than dial-up users who are more likely to only go online intermittently. "We would stress the importance of using firewalls, virus checkers and very good security practice," said Malcolm Hutty, regulation officer for the London Internet Exchange, which handles over 90 percent of UK Internet traffic.

Symantec defines a bot as a malware-infected computer that can be controlled remotely by a hacker. Hackers often use these machines to form botnets ? thousands of compromised computers networked, typically for malicious use. The combined processing power of a botnet can be used to send huge quantities of spam or carry out denial-of-service attacks. Although the UK has more bots, the United States was found to be the top source of such malicious attacks, followed by China and Germany.

[Medicate]

I have been on NTL Broadband for two years now and use the same precautions I have always used.

1, A reputable AV, updated daily.
2, A reputable Firewall, updated regularly.
3, Regular scans using recognised adware/spyware programs, regularly updated.
4, Latest updates from Microsoft.
5, Never opening up emails or attachments from unknown source.
6, Disabling the network connection. ie; disable the ethernet card or wireless connection via a shortcut to network connections. The main reason for this is to avoid intrusions into the pc before your firewall and/or AV software load into resident memory.

I may be paranoid but, that doesn't mean they are not out to get me!

It may be overkill but I would rather be safe than sorry.

[Michelle]

I too do numbers 1-5 but I'm not sure what 6 means, or why you'd do that if you have a network.

Looks like I'll need lots of help when I come to network mine.  :?  :shock:

[Medicate]

My network router has no built-in firewall, and I am paranoid about security.

The AV software and Firewall sotware are not always the first things to load in at startup. Disabling the network/wireless card just ensures that everything is up and running prior to hitting the net.

Safety first? Or just plain paranoia? Either way better safe than sorry.

 After all I must be.........

[Clive]

All very sensible Medicate!  I have also recently discovered Ad-Aware Plus which is very pro-active in preventing malware.  It costs £15 but it's worth every penny for peace of mind.

[Michelle]

ah, so you disable it until its all started up? I'm a bit slow sorry  :?


I am a great lover of safety first, and paranoia.  :shock:  

[chorleydave]

Broadband users often leave their home PCs connected to the Internet for many hours, putting them at greater risk of attack than dial-up users who are more likely to only go online intermittently.

Well, that just about sums it up.  Why people can't be bothered to right-click the connection icon in the System Tray and disconnect when they have finished is beyond me.  An "always on" connection doesn't mean it quite literally has to be left "always on"!  I could understand it if broadband took as long to connect as dialup - you know, that horribly long roar that sounds as if you are bench testing a cruise missile under the desk - but mine (for instance) takes less than four seconds from clicking the connection icon in the Quick Launch toolbar to being live.

Computer security is always a trade-off between keeping out scumbags and usability.  I have found in the past that over zealousness can result in a situation where the PC becomes virtually useless for what you need it for.  You might as well just pull out the mains plug, be totally secure, and save a few quid on your leccy bill.  Otherwise.you can use basic security, along with a bit common sense and actually enjoy using your computer.

[Simon]

Broadband users often leave their home PCs connected to the Internet for many hours, putting them at greater risk of attack than dial-up users who are more likely to only go online intermittently.

Well, that just about sums it up.  Why people can't be bothered to right-click the connection icon in the System Tray and disconnect when they have finished is beyond me.  An "always on" connection doesn't mean it quite literally has to be left "always on"!  I could understand it if broadband took as long to connect as dialup - you know, that horribly long roar that sounds as if you are bench testing a cruise missile under the desk - but mine (for instance) takes less than four seconds from clicking the connection icon in the Quick Launch toolbar to being live.

I think that probably refers to people who leave their connections live while downloading, Dave.  I believe that some types of audio / visual media can take several days to completely download.  So I have been told.  :whistle: