Botnet working group created within the US

A new working group aimed toward tackling the growing epidemic of botnet attacks was created.

The results of a public feedback period co-ordinated by america Commerce and Homeland Security departments, the Industry Botnet Group (IBG) will focus its efforts on cleaning up and likewise preventing networks of compromised computers.

A recent report released by the US's Commerce Department highlighted the quick-term goals that the IBG will pursue, including raising public awareness and providing online resources at the problem, which has reached millions of computers worldwide.

Comprised of trade associations, companies and privacy and safety organisations, the crowd is meant to further collaboration, and ultimately work to create a voluntary model under which internet service providers (ISPs) would notify consumers if their computers were infected.

Craig Spiezle, executive director and president of the web Trust Alliance, told SC Magazine US: “For the efforts to combat bots to succeed, we need to take a holistic view. Everything from detection and takedown to prevention and remediation, that is the position that many people who're stakeholders believe.

“There's clearly a task for ISPs, law enforcement and anti-virus providers. We have to all collectively analyze the several touchpoints.”