Botnets: 'We're screwed', warn security experts

Botnets are the biggest global threat facing the internet today, according to security experts at the RSA security conference in San Francisco this week.

President of the Internet Security Advisors Group, Ira Winkler, said: "The statistics are basically that we're screwed. There is no real strategy for it. No one is doing anything."

Security from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more...

A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

Winkler said there needs to be a fundamental change in people's attitudes to effectively harness botnets. "It's going to take a lot more than education, technology and law enforcement."

The most effective approach to tackling botnets would be to impose penalties on people who allow their computers to become infected, making users take more responsibility, according to Winkler.

He said: "We need to hold users responsible. ISPs should have a responsibility of making sure users aren't hosting botnets."

The botnet problem is getting worse, with no obvious solution in sight, according to Joe Telafici, VP of Avert Operation at McAfee.

He said: "The problem today is many orders of magnitude worse compared to last year. If we don't find a way to make it less profitable to do this, it won't go away."

Jordana Siegel, deputy director of outreach and awareness in the National Cyber Security Division of the US Department of Homeland Security, said: "We're seeing a constant increase in malicious code which includes botnets."

Ronald Teixeira, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, said: "Botnets are, I think, the biggest threat we face on the internet today. Tackling this is going a long way to limit attacks."

But Matthew Fine, supervisory special agent with the FBI, said the fact criminals are now going to jail for botnet attacks is a step in the right direction.

He said: "It's sending a message that judges understand this is affecting lives."

But more still needs to be done, Fine warned. "I think we're all screaming for help. Hopefully we'll get some updated laws to help us."