worms and paranoia

[Harish Pillay]

The worm fiasco has perhaps been overly discussed that I think we, as UseNet
users, should get a consensus to enable the entire network to be periodically
tested for such security breaches. What we need is something like what is
done by radio and tv stations: " <Hi tone> This is a test ......." Just
as we have periodic fire drills, all sysadmins should get together to
perform such tests to see if there is a vulnerability in the connections etc.

The UseNet community seems to be divided between thanking Morris or shafting
Morris for what he did. There is also an overlapping group that keeps saying
that "You were warned. The Network is not SAFE." Let's keep the talk to
a minimum and get on with a scheme that tests the integrity of the network.

It is my opinion that we need to do it periodically (maybe like once a month)
with neighbouring systems testing each other - something that could be done
in the evening. Preventive "Break-ins" is what we need. Let's not get all
caught up with a security paranoia and cut each other of.

UseNet, UUCP, BITNET, anonymous ftp, rlogin, telnet are perhaps the best things
to have happened to computers!

Any comments welcomed.

Harish Pillay Microsoft Corporation microsoft!t-ha...@uunet.uu.net