On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 12:17:09 -0800, Mister Coffee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Danny wrote: > > Well, it sure does help the anti-virus (anti-malware) and security > > consulting business, but besides that... is it not safe to say that: > > > > 1) A hell of a lot of viruses/worms/trojans use IRC to wreck further havoc? > > > And? There are a hell of a lot of "normal" users on IRC too who don't > wreck havoc. A lot of spam comes in email. Does that make email bad? > > > 2) A considerable amount of "script kiddies" originate and grow through IRC? > > > And AIM, ICQ, Jabber, web-forums, mailing lists, etc. IRC is one medium > amungst many. > > > 3) A wee bit of software piracy occurs? > > > Some, perhaps. But unlike, say BitTorrent or Kazaa, IRC's primary role > is communication rather than file transfer. You could make the same > argument for ANY of the IM clients that support file transfer. > > > 4) That many organized DoS attacks through PC zombies are initiated through > > IRC? > > > Many do. Yes. But many also originate through other media, and, again, > it's not the medium's fault that people use it for nefarious purposes. > Hitmen get calls on their cell phones. Should we eliminate cell > phones to stop the hitmen? > > > 5) The anonymity of the whole thing helps to foster all the illegal > > and malicious activity that occurs? > > The list goes on and on... > > > Anonymity is not a bad thing in many, man, respects. And the list of > legitimate uses goes on and on as well. > > > Sorry to offend those that use IRC legitimately (LOL - find something > > else to chat with your buddies), but why the hell are we not pushing > > to sunset IRC? > > > No offense. But the arguments aren't especially strong. We're not > pushing to sunset the IRC protocol because there are still thousands and > thousands of -legitimate- users in the world. Unlike most IM systems, > the IRC nets are completely independant. There are some serious > advantages to that. > > > What would IT be like today without IRC (or the like)? Am I narrow > > minded to say that it would be a much safer place? > > > Yes? > > IRC is a protocol. A tool like any other. Last I looked there were > still hundreds to thousands of IRC users at any given time who were > there just to hang out and BS with their friends. It's still a valid > "community" if you will, in spite of the nefarious uses other people > have put it to. > > If you sunset something like IRC, the 3v1L [EMAIL PROTECTED] will just move > their > bots and trojans somewhere else.
Well said. Thanks for your time. ...D _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html
