Re: mitigating botnet C&Cs has become useless

["Scott Weeks" <surfer () mauigateway com>]

----- Original Message Follows -----
From: Barry Shein <bzs () world std com>

> On August 1, 2006 at 11:50 surfer () mauigateway com (Scott
> Weeks) wrote:
>  >...
>  > there has to be a technical way to do this, rather 
>  > than a diplomatic way as the diplomatic ways
>  > historically have not worked in the other areas 
>  > mentioned, so they probably won't work here, either.  
>  > Or we have to keep going until one can be contrived.  
>  > Many good attempts have been made and there will be 
>  > more to come until we hopefully rid ourselves of the 
>  > sickness others of lower values force on us daily...
>
> I have nothing against technical solutions tho after over
> ten years of a lot of smart people trying, and a grand
> prize of probably a billion dollars increase in personal
> wealth, it doesn't seem forthcoming.
>
> However, I do take exception to the assertion that
> "diplomatic ways historically have not worked in other
> areas mentioned".
>
> I think what you mean is that they haven't worked
> perfectly, but slipped the semantics a little. Surely you
> didn't mean to say that all efforts to oppose, e.g., the
> human slave trade have been in vain?
>
> The effectiveness has a lot to do with the profitability
> making the risk worthwhile (e.g., drug trade), and who the
> crime appeals to; some poor, desparate people will take
> risks others won't (e.g., high-seas piracy.)
>
> Unfortunately all this reasoning might be edifying but it
> leads nowhere.


Yes, you're correct.  I didn't mean to say the things you
mentioned haven't worked at all.  I'm just saying that there
has to be a better way than police-type actions on a global
scale.  Also, I'm sure many more smart people will work on
it for many more years and others will make billions more
before it's solved.  But it needs to be solved on the same
playing field that the ugliness is occurring on.  You don't
solve San Diego's slave trade by kicking ass on Indonesia's
pirates.

Last, you're also correct that this is leading nowhere.  I
made my point and have now beat it to death.  Thanks for
listening...

scott