Taking Lessons From Internet Doomsday

Earlier this week, July 9, 2012, internet citizen aka netizen to be wary of Internet doomsday. Although not fully proven, we can always take lessons from any incident that occurs.

It all began with the act of six Estonians and one Russian citizen last year. The group is led by Vladimir Tsastsin (31), a computer specialist malware (malicious software) maker.

Vladimir is the owner of several internet companies that have been attachment to the malware community. Other suspects are Timur Gerassimenko (31), Dmitri Jegorov (33), Valeri Aleksejev (31), Konstantin Poltev (28), and Anton Ivanvov (26).

The majority of them have captured the United States federal agents (FBI), yet one person still at large. They've been making since 2007. Because of the knowledge-based, virus threats that are made are still threatened even though their bodies are locked up in jail.

Malicious actions of DNS Changer virus allegedly infecting four million computers in the world, 50 thousand in Indonesia. DNS (Domain Name Server), is a means to address the human translator in the form of internet protocol number.

As an illustration, we are certainly easier to remember www.facebook.com than an actual computer system identifies the address of a computer with internet protocol numbers and addresses.

Through a number of engineering programming, Tsastsin group can control the victim computer's DNS server and redirect to a fraudulent DNS server that has been prepared in advance. More crazy, antivirus programs can disable them.

With all these threats, the Minister of Communications and Informatics of Indonesia Mr. Tifatul Sembiring said in various interviews, internet doomsday discourse quite exaggerated, but all parties should be aware of internet security.

Similar delivered Rolly Awangga, founder of Saung IT (information technology dissemination organizations from Bandung). According to him, the internet doomsday are increasingly confirming the Indonesian Community to improving computer security.

"We can take the lesson is always update your anti virus. Or if you want to be more fundamental, use a proven antivirus operating system such as Linux-based. Or UNIX base operating system," said the man from Bojongsari, Indramayu.

On the other hand, institutions that serve the public such as banks should always be aware and the public interest. He exemplifies the core banking services in the United States is willing to turn itself off when the internet doomsday. "That is not turned off because the malware has infected. However, rather than one client visit a site that has transferred control of his, they would prefer safe to turn off the first service. This should be followed," he said.

As a result, we can learn a lot from the July 9 Internet Doomsday. Even if we look at pattern threats of internet attacks on the public before, we can study the patterns of threat:

1. Melissa Virus (March 26, 1999)

Created by David L Smith, Melissa virus was first known on March 26, 1999. The virus is crippling client e-mail that can not be used, because the full electronic mail sent and received double the infected computer. Although it is marred not too big, but the giant companies like Microsoft when it shut down its e-mail while.

2. Y2K (Desember 31, 1999)

The second is the Y2K disaster, this is a calculation error caused by a computer storage system on which only provides two digits for the year, assuming that the first two digits are "19".

This is done in the 60's when the first computer designed to save on storage media. But when the new year 2000 arrives, the computer may indicate that the date change from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 1900.

This error will cause a major disaster is feared because the computer is also used to manage critical facilities such as nuclear power plants and aircraft. As a result, many companies around the world held a renewal in the field of computers, both software and hardware.

3. 'I Love U' Virus (May 4, 2000)

With the name of 'I Love U', this attack made netizens headache in 2000. Why not. This 'Romantic' virus has infected 55 million computers and causing losses of billions of dollars.

According to security software firm Symantec, the incident made the CIA and the British Parliament was forced to shut down their e-mail system in order to anticipate the threat. Its name is derived from the subject of e-mails that users receive.

Peak of the damage occurred on May 4, 2000. E-mail containing this virus consists of an attachment that says "LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.vbs". When activated, the computer worm overwrites all files on the host as well as attacking a copy of itself to every file.

4. April Fool's Day (April 1, 2009)

There's also April Fool's Day conficket virus that spreads from April 1, 2009. This attack could infect up to 9 to 15 million computers at that time.

April Fool Conficker Virus is exploiting vulnerability the RPC DCOM MS 08-067, thus significantly succeeded in creating fear in the world of computer users.

5. 'Here You Have' Virus (September 9, 2010)

It became one of the darkest day for Internet users, especially in shipment proximity to the memorial of Black September. Because the users get e-mail subject 'Here You Have', which apparently contains a virus in it.

E-mail spread around the world at the time and managed to 'beat' network of major organizations such as Disney, NASA, Comcast, AIG, and Proctor & Gamble.

The virus is relatively harmless, is actually just a form of spam in the inbox, which in turn makes the user can not send e-mail anymore. But look at anyone who is a victim, obviously this is not a virus at random. *** [MUHAMMAD SUFYAN | ILHAM SANTOSO | TIM CERKAS | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 12072012]

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