Sick PCs should be banned from the net says Microsoft

**creativeideaz** · 10-12-2010, 09:32 AM

Virus-infected computers that pose a risk to other PCs should be blocked from the net, a senior researcher at software giant Microsoft suggests. The proposal is based on lessons from public health, said Scott Charney of the firm's trustworthy computing team. It is designed to tackle botnets, which are networks of infected computers under the control of cyber criminals.

Putting machines in temporary quarantine would stop the spread of a virus and allow it to be cleaned. Just as when an individual who is not vaccinated puts others' health at risk, computers that are not protected or have been compromised with a bot put others at risk and pose a greater threat to society.

(From the BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11483008

What you think guys?

I know some folks will be raising a eyebrow on this.

Mac users... fire away!

**duke** · 10-20-2010, 10:02 PM

duh... Virus?... what's that?... hehe!

**gogetit** · 10-20-2010, 10:05 PM

Maybe there's a vaccine to guard our computers' health?

**trasherk** · 10-20-2010, 10:10 PM

how ironic. they're the ones who are to blame for them being "sick".

**Marcossius** · 10-26-2010, 08:24 AM

They should teach their users how to reformat. But before that, Windows should ship with built-in backup apps (like Time Machine).

But it is mostly that reformat solves all these virus problems. I've been in Windows 7 since it opened (alternating between my Mac of course), and I've never encountered any virus on it. So it's a good idea to have them stop supporting Windows XP too because it's a terrible OS that's been targeted by malware since 2003

**Salaryman Ryan** · 10-26-2010, 10:30 AM

This is quite an ironic statement considering the target of almost all viruses and malware are MS based operating systems.

**gaol** · 10-26-2010, 11:09 AM

Not all who are quarantined are sick, most of them have just been exposed to possible contagious diseases and viruses. When they are declared free of the virus, they are released from quarantine.

So based on this thinking, this silly proposal should be:

since Windows-based PCs are regularly exposed to all sorts of viruses,
ALL Windows-based PCs should be quarantined/banned from the net
UNTIL they pass specified internet "health standards."

And the testing should be done on a regular basis, since the exposure is ever present.