🚀 go-pugleaf

"Keith Paxton" <neodoesntw@ntspamknac.com> wrote in message
news:kYIl6.60587$_D.11160931@typhoon.we.rr.com...
| OK, OK. So we're all having a nice debate on this. Cool. So, to all of you
| who would have our glorious Government enact MORE ineffective laws that
they
| don't have the time or resources to enforce, I pose this scenario:
|
| I am a network administrator. I portscan EVERY machine on my network, many
| times a week. OOOPS! Sometimes I type the wrong address (I know, I know, I
| should write a bash shell script - so sue me ;-). So, anyway, now I have
| inadvertently scanned your network. Should I be detained by the
PortScanning
| Police? Thrown in jail? Lose my job? Not only that, but prior to notifying
| the owner of the domain that the scanning machine belongs to, I (oh the
| horror!) do a little scan of my own against the offending IP address.
Again,
| should I be detained by the PortScanning Police? Thrown in jail? Lose my
| job?
|
| Contrary to (what seems to be) popular belief, more ineffective laws are
not
| going to protect Ma & Pa Kettle from script kiddies and other miscreants on
| the Internet. Just like more and more gun laws aren't going to keep the
| gang-banger in the neighborhood from poppin' a cap in your ass when you
look
| at him the wrong way.
| --
| Loren
| "I'm Libertarian. That means the Republicans
| annoy me slightly less than the Democrats"
| -Larry Elder - Nov. 2000
|
| Lawrence Baldwin <baldwinlSPAMMENOT@mynetwatchman.com> wrote in message
| news:3A966412.9336DCD8@mynetwatchman.com...
| > The last thing I want to do is give this guy any press, but figured I'd
| > send a heads up:
| >
| > http://www.sharesniffer.com/FAQ.html#Q-001
| >
| > Advocates utilizing the open shares for extra disk space "...because
| > it's there".
| >
| > My biggest concern is that it utilizes a newsgroup repository to collect
| > and dissemenate IP addresses with known open shares.  Others (including
| > automated worms) could easily leverage this data, facilitating system
| > compromises.
| >
| >
| > Expect an increase in Netbios scans over the coming days....sigh.
| >
| >
| > lb.
| > -------------------------
| > Lawrence Baldwin
| > Protocol Scientist
| > 678-624-0924
| > http://www.mynetwatchman.com/about.htm - I'm under attack, now what?
|

I'm not sure what the remedy is.

I do know that I do not want the government getting involved.

For all the analogies to ones house or cars and whatever else scanning and
probing might be compared to, it is not a matter of personal safety or a
threat to ones being.

Mr. Navas made a comparison about not having to be an expert in automotives
to drive, and one shouldn't have to be an expert in computers to operate one.
But you know, you do have to take classes on safety and pass tests before you
can get behind that wheel and drive that car.  Do people still wreck?  Do
people still drive like idiots?  Yes.  There are tons of laws dedicated to
the vehicle and driving .  Most are probably needed.  Because this involves
personal safety and others well being.  Surfing the net does not.

When LB first made me aware of Sharesniffer I wondered how it could be legal.
Well, borrowing from others, knocking isn't illegal.  Standing on the street
looking at your house isn't illegal.  If you don't want me to see you then
close your blinds, or build a wall around your house.

If anything should be illegal it should be those telemarketers who come
"knocking" through your phone, thank goodness for a new service called
Privacy Director.  Or maybe all those soul savers who show up on Saturday
mornings disturbing my cartoon watching.

Anyway, the ISPs, Windows, the computer makers all need to a better job at
educating consumers about security. And the consumer needs to take the most
responsibilty and educate themselves.  If not uck 'em.  Most folks are just
too damn lazy. Even computer professionals who run networks and are in charge
of security can be lazy and forget to download patches and apply certain
security tweaks.  Let them get bit one good time and hopefully they will have
learned their lesson.

I sure do hope it is not the government making these decisions.

Michael
 mgbaker@bellsouth.net
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