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Homeland Security: What Are We To Do?
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Homeland Security: What Are We To Do?
SOUTHERN MARYLAND - 4/1/2009
By TBN Commentary
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Billions of dollars are supposedly spent on protecting our nation and its critical infrastructure. Classified technology exists out there that monitors every bit of traffic that travels through the Internet. Yet, where is the office of Homeland Security or any other official government agency when it comes to putting out an official statement on how businesses or the average computer user should protect themselves or reacts to the Conficker C worm. Should we take duct tape and wrap it around our computer? Should we turn off our computer completely and take the day off?
Conficker is a worm that has been spreading to computers through the internet for months, and computer security experts estimate that millions of machines are infected. Computer security experts don't yet know what actions computers infected with Conficker C will be asked to perform and might not know until, today – April 1.
Conficker infects computers running various versions of Microsoft Windows, especially those that have not been patched with a security upgrade issued by Microsoft in October. Once it has its "command and control" instructions, the infected computer becomes part of a "botnet" of many infected computers that take orders from those who control them, and as such, it might gather personal information, install malicious software on the computer and attack or infect other computers.
Microsoft has a bounty out for $250,000 to catch the mystery men or woman who created this worm, but the only information that seems to resonate out on the Internet on how to protect you is to keep Window’s updated or patched and have the latest virus definitions installed. One site also suggested grabbing your ankles and hope for the best
However, no one is guaranteeing any of this will work.
An anonymous source that works in an undisclosed agency that’s sole purpose is to combat these types of attacks told TBN that critical government agencies are secure and protected. When asked if there was a release that could be given to the general public so that they might protect themselves too, the answer was, “no.”
So this brings up the question, “Why wasn’t there an official statement from the government on what we should do, especially if they have a way to protect their computers? “
Are our government contractors protected that work locally and interface with sensitive government computers?
Let’s hope the fact that this is going down on April Fool’s day means that it’s just one big joke and nothing will happen. Maybe it’s part of the Obama plan to stimulate the economy by employing information security consultants and selling a lot of antivirus software. If anything, TBN hopes that you have signed in today unaffected with no surprises.
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