No anti-virus software? No internet connection

[TVR-190]

No anti-virus software? No internet connection | News.com.au

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".

What will they think of next......

[minux]

ahahahahahahahaha

Surely it is easier to just ban idiots using a computer?

Got to love this Chinese government...oh wait, we are in Australia...

I am curious, how would one buy anti-virus if their net is disconnected?

How do they deal with Mac/*nix users?

Those damn spams and scams are ruining our portal

[minux]

I just noticed this line:

— Changes to the law to make unauthorised installation of software illegal.

Unauthorised? Are they saying that they are going to filter what software we can use now?

[Jesterarts]

*facepalm*

Once again the goverment showing they have abso-****ing-lutely no idea about, well frankly, anything.

More Policies aimed at 'protecting' the retard population at the expense of the rest of us.

I found this bit funny:

Changes to the law to make unauthorised installation of software illegal.

Who is that law even supposed to target? The hackers who create malware that installs itself on your machine? Yeah, those people will definately give a crap that it's now 'illegal' in Australia... lol.

[88GreenVN]

It will be illegal to exist soon. Unless you have no job and come by boat - then it's free hotel and food.

[soop]

Its traditional for people to dislike politicians. But these clowns have taken their idiocy to the next level.
It really is becoming almost dangerous to have these dipshits running the country. I can't see one politician on a national or state level whom i'd feel safe with them in charge. Regardless of which party they pledge allegiance.

[minux]

It will be illegal to exist soon. Unless you have no job and come by boat - then it's free hotel and food.

**** the hotel and food, family down the road just got given a house and car, all brand new, all fully furnished, anyone who wants a hosue but cannot afford one should throw all their identities away and sail away and come back. Your life will be made.

Its traditional for people to dislike politicians. But these clowns have taken their idiocy to the next level.
It really is becoming almost dangerous to have these dipshits running the country. I can't see one politician on a national or state level whom i'd feel safe with them in charge. Regardless of which party they pledge allegiance.

I will vote for the other party simply because they cannot be any worse than what we have now. Surely there is no-one as retarded as conroy out there? This Labor party puts blue bus travellers to shame...cannot expect much though when you have party members as paid supporters of the communist club.

[Tim Smtih]

Hackers are smart, well they do do their thing for a living. And do you think that every anti-virus program will be able to catch every virus/trojan etc before it's able to infect your computer? And once your computer is infected guess what, no internet service for you. Oh did anyone figure out that your service provider would have to have some sort of remote access to be able to determine in the first place whether or not your computer was infected, and if this was the case you would have to hope you didn't have anything questionable or illegal on there as well. No really wtf is wrong with the people that come up with these ideas? Are they getting paid for this stuff or are the powers that be visiting the local primary school fishing for ideas.

[soop]

I will just fold the ballot up and put it in the box. I feel better not being responsible for either f*ck up. My choice, and im happy with

[Darren_L]

why don't they force Australian ISP's to get their security sorted, then their customers wouldn't get viruses and SPAM.
Apparently half the reason Australia is such a target for SPAM, is because our ISP's don't have the systems in place to stop spammers hijacking email addresses.

[Stressball]

why don't they force Australian ISP's to get their security sorted, then their customers wouldn't get viruses and SPAM.
Apparently half the reason Australia is such a target for SPAM, is because our ISP's don't have the systems in place to stop spammers hijacking email addresses.

More often than not, it's because of computer-illiterate people giving their information away for free.

Something they are ignoring completely is that as long as there are stupid people, virii will not be the best way to get bank account details etc. Social Engineering is what they use, and it's things like the whole nigerian prince wanting to pay you fees for accepting $500,000,000,000 on their behalf. There's no need to produce virii or trojans when there are so many gullible, stupi people using computers.

You should need a licence to use a computer. Three things you should need a licence for: Driving, using a computer, and breeding.

[Grennan]

Wow, this is complete win.

Dont know how on earth ISP providers will be able to track your computers contents without massive invasion of privacy, but then to cut them off from the internet. Whenever I get a virus, the first thing I do is check the various websites for information about it. Without that reference point, how are people going to be able to remove it? Couple that with being unable to update your anti virus because you have no connection it is clearly an idea thought out by someone who has no ****ing idea. An Antivirus isnt the only thing people need though, firewalls and intelligence goes a long way and there doesnt seem to be a mention of that.

If people click on spam email saying they have won 100000000 gajillion dollars they deserve to have their shit stolen.

I wonder if this Steven Conroy actually owns a computer. I smell a man who doesnt even know how to turn it on so everything is scary for him.

[Junny]

every since I was 15, I never used a antivirus....
I dont see my credit card details being stolen....

[fuzzy2308]

every since I was 15, I never used a antivirus....
I dont see my credit card details being stolen....

can u post up your ip and email please

[GetToDaChopa]

Hell yeah my Antivirus sales will go up! Score! thank you stupid government.

[Jezza]

so WHO voted for labour exactly because im getting sick of all this internet stuff, why dont they just leave it to ISP and not force them to do anything

[minux]

so WHO voted for labour exactly because im getting sick of all this internet stuff, why dont they just leave it to ISP and not force them to do anything

Because if they do that the portal will kill everyone.

[Swordsy]

so WHO voted for labour exactly because im getting sick of all this internet stuff, why dont they just leave it to ISP and not force them to do anything

Watch out, If you keep going with this free speech thing, they'll shoot you.
We are in China now aren't we?

I think we should have the election VERY soon or this shit is just going to get worse. They already know they aren't getting back in, so all the stupid ideas are coming out.

[Darren_L]

More often than not, it's because of computer-illiterate people giving their information away for free.

Something they are ignoring completely is that as long as there are stupid people, virii will not be the best way to get bank account details etc. Social Engineering is what they use, and it's things like the whole nigerian prince wanting to pay you fees for accepting $500,000,000,000 on their behalf. There's no need to produce virii or trojans when there are so many gullible, stupi people using computers.

You should need a licence to use a computer. Three things you should need a licence for: Driving, using a computer, and breeding.

true, however when you handed your email address over for this very forum, you in effect offered it to spammers. Spammers use robots, spiders, crawlers, harvesters that will dig up email addresses from even the most secure forum software. And unfortunately many forums reject free email addresses such as yahoo, msn etc because spammers use them. The problem with Australian ISP's, is they won't implement the proper systems to prevent the hijacking of email addresses (where your email address is unknowingly used to send spam) whereas in other countries such as the US & UK, there are systems in place to help prevent such practices.

[danja]

This isn't actually Conroy's idea, it was the brain fart of a house of reps standing committee...

[RazzaCaine]

It will be illegal to exist soon. Unless you have no job and come by boat - then it's free hotel and food.

no, thats the situation in the u.k. hence why so many us of us poms move here now... to get away from it

[RazzaCaine]

It will be illegal to exist soon. Unless you have no job and come by boat - then it's free hotel and food.

no, thats the situation in the u.k. hence why so many us of us poms move here now... to get away from it

[minux]

This isn't actually Conroy's idea, it was the brain fart of a house of reps standing committee...

And who commissioned the standing committee? One Mr ******** Conroy.

Maybe the portal is going after Mr Conroy?

[Grennan]

An Anti Virus is a reactive program in many respects (sure some do now come with email scanners and what not but majority of them are there to help when you get a virus). Its not going to stop the idiots getting it in the first place.

[TVR-190]

read the comments on the article.

All the mac sheeple going on about how it wont affect them cause they dont get viruses.