back to article Security boss calls for end to net anonymity

The CEO of Russia's No. 1 anti-virus package has said that the internet's biggest security vulnerability is anonymity, calling for mandatory internet passports that would work much like driver licenses do in the offline world. The comments by Eugene Kaspersky, who is also the founder of Kaspersky Lab, came during an interview …

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  1. Jimmy 1

    @Mahatma Coat

    Your parents, Duffle and Rain, certainly endowed you with a great sense of humour. It's just a shame about your wee brother, Under Coat.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Threat to what?

    Non-anonymity on the internet is a threat to democracy. Maybe that's the angle he's taking here.

    I'm all for creating a new internet, an internet by people for people, a specially made anonymous internet. What would they say to that, it can't be too hard with today's tech.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    The internet is already non-anonymous

    The internet is already not anonymous. However, it is presently non-anonymous for the powers that be.

    A large portion of the USA internet traffic is offloaded to a number of boxes which are puppeteered from the No Such Agency. Same for the Russian, Chinese, etc traffic. Europe is overall trailing behind, but Tony Bliar has managed to put the foundations of EU joining the stalwarts through his "Fear the Paedo" campaign. Every UK ISP now has a box that can be potentially used to offload for snooping under the guise of "Though shall not see Scorpion Album Covers".

    Frankly, I am all for giving the same power to Joe the average user. It is a fantastic idea. It is also perfectly within the limits of current technology. Nearly all of Europe and most of the other developed economies already issue cittizens some form of smartcard and it can be used to authenticate any traffic originated by Joe Average luser at IP or higher layers.

    However, all the powers that be will scream bloody murder if this will happen. In order for any traffic to be authenticated and verified to its origin it will have to be encrypted. Otherwise anyone along the way will be able to tamper with it. This will immediately put all the communications of Joe Average user outside the realm of day-to-day casual snooping which is going on at the moment. And the likes of No Such Agency and their bretheren do not like dat. They will be promptly joined by MarketingDroids and other lowlife.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So Kaspersky Internet Security doesn't work?

    That's basically the only conclusion one can draw from that statement.

    Anon, because he doesn't want me to be.

  5. sw5guilherme
    Big Brother

    Ironic

    I am not surprised this was proposed by a russian CEO. The iron curtain is still alive in some people's mind.

    In Brazil there's an ISP which advertising campaing presents a russian colonel

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsFoDSKWPU4&feature=related

  6. jim 45
    Thumb Up

    everybody take a deep breath, it's not that simple

    Analogies to the physical world can only be carried so far. On the net, today, you can damage other people while remaining not just anonymous, but unidentifiable, and yes there is a crucial difference. If i'm walking down a public street I don't have to wear an ID tag. BUT if I commit a crime, I have to divulge my identity - and if I refuse, law enforcement people can compel me to reveal it.

    I urge everyone to think abou this distinction (being anonymous vs unidentifiable). I believe in the long run some form of verifiable network identification may be necessary and will come to be accepted.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    What a fucking assclown

    Strong, but justified, I feel.

    Having helped a few volunatary and human rights organisations to do *stuff* via the net, I have to say that I'm very glad that not everyone is such an authoritarian nutjob.

    That said, we're about to get the tories back in the UK, so maybe authoritarian nutjob with a tint of pigopolist is the colour of the season..

  8. Tommy Pock

    Man gets headlines.

    Man sells product.

  9. Monkeypox
    Pirate

    Kaspersky = Fail!

    Bye Bye Comrade Kaspersky! I will never again use or recommend your software to anyone.

    Just use Avast, AVG, or Avira. They're just as good - and free.

  10. JohnG
    Big Brother

    No thanks

    The idea of something like a driving license or passport to use the Internet is a bit silly when you consider that it is common to bribe officials to obtain either document in Kaspersky's native Russia, as well as other parts of the former Soviet Union.

    Using fake or stolen credentials is hardly going to be a deterrent to people who would already face substantial penalties for hacking, fraud and the like.

    That the Internet was not designed for public use is irrelevant. Compuserve and others tried selling closed, controlled networks for public use but it didn't really work. Kaspersky and others who like the idea of such a controlled network are welcome to go away and start one of their own - and leave the rest of us with the imperfect Internet, along with the possibility that anyone can express their opinions freely without first obtaining permission from their government.

  11. PolicyWatcher
    Grenade

    Just another dumb authoritarian...

    ... who thinks that his personal view of Utopia is allowed to be at the expense of other peoples' rights.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Oh well

    Oh well - I won't be renewing when my Kaspersky license expires.

  13. Adam Salisbury
    FAIL

    @ Quite Right!

    "You don't need to worry if you have nothing to hide" - So you don't drawer the curtains in your bedroom before getting undressed then do you??

    No I thought not....

  14. Frank Fisher
    Grenade

    An idea that will not die - I wonder why?

    C'mon fellers, this just keeps coming back. I wrote about the Euro Commission suggesting this - at the behest fo the French I think - 12 or 14 years ago. Obama walked in to the oval office to find a report proposing this sitting on his desk ready for him. This is coming.

    So please, don't belittle, just say it can't work, think it's paranoid fantasy: take it seriously. It is a *serious* threat. Oppose it on solid, practical, arguable grounds.

  15. fand
    Flame

    free expression

    is the right people fought for centuries. The internet does not belong to states or governments,

    its THE communication medium for free expression. The invention of the internet was one further step in the evolution of a social global society for improving and etablieren the rights of poeple all over the world. It cannot be over estimated what the internet means for people who are still struggleling for their freedom and thier rights, the people in iran, in china etc... Everyone who touches this should be very very carefull what he/she says. Now comes Eugene!!

    The dude from a country with a long long history of freedom and democracy. Eugene knows a lot about the internet, about freedom and people rights: he sells antivirus software.

    His undifferntiated totally naive statements is the biggest bullshit which was spread over the internet for years. (Yes Eugene, you can say that shit, because the internet is still free) Maybe we really need a internet law for banning those idiots.

    I really think, Eugene Kaspersky products should be boycott!!!

    I will do it right now.

  16. Steve Bush

    Nice knowing you Kaspersky.

    Presumably sold out to someone or something or just possibly gone insane. Satisfied with dough instead of glory.

  17. dreadful scathe
    Alien

    this is a great idea

    this is a great idea but...er...

    but then so is communism - a society where no one goes wanting and everyone is equal - whats not to love ?

    ...both are impractical where humans are involved. pesky humans!

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I agree.

    This is how it's going to be in the future. Anonymous criminal users are ruining the internet for everyone. And before I get called a hypocrit for posting this without my name it's to avoid criminals using my information for spamming.

    Most websites are commercial entities and as such deserve the right to know who it's patrons are. The "real world" example is bull since you can't go into a store with a mask on. You would get kicked out.

    You can end anonyminity or at least combat it by an SSL type of setup where authentication is required and http servers like apache run a special module which can handshake the browser. Authentications can then be confirmed. This could be optional for any site that doesn't want anonymous users browsing it's content or using it's services. I see nothing wrong with this scenario or implementation.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Enough, kaspersky

    Will never buy another Kaspersky product, will immediately uninstall kaspersky on computers I've personally installed trials on, notify internet lovers and take back my advice to use kaspersky to a close friend.

    This is the end of Kaspersky usage by any sane person I know.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    @ Daemon ZOGG

    Thus was Spaken: "No. It will never happen. The more you lock down a human system, the more humans will want to bust out of that system. We cannot be labled & directed like ants or lab rats in a controlled environment. ..."

    You mean like most of the human populace already is? After all, that's why they call it the "Rat Race". ;-)

    Not discounting the (nearly extinct) examples of TRUE Pirates, etc., may I humbly point out that the current institutionalized State systems (education, currency, etc) that trap the vast majority of the human populace (nature or not), was ignored by Pirates, Revolutionaries, etc. of old, much like the system of punishment (law) established by the State.

    Which means if you are still in or a part of the "System", you are the problem. If you see and do nothing, what are you there for?

  21. sage
    Thumb Down

    sage

    sage this retarded idea already

  22. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    I really used to have BIG respect for the man

    - but now he lost it.

    No matter if that was an opportunistic attempt to please some powers that be, or if he was serious. He either lost his mind, or his integrity.

    Calling for an international "Internetpolice body" with Interpol like powers like another AV vendor does- Yes, absolutely! Why not hunt cyber criminals as vigorously as real life "terrorist" (the quotes because this term has become pretty stretched recently).

    A totalitarian approach- never!

    Him of all people should have felt on their own skin how ugly such systems are- and understand why they, fortunately, always fail, eventually.

    Apart from the fact that even thinking in that direction is admitting defeat as a security software company.

    But then:

    Can't change the scorpions nature, can we. Good then that at least the frogs are able to learn!

    Anonymous, just because I (still) can!

  23. Lockstep Technologies

    We need MORE anonymity not less

    Kaspersky's call for Internet Passports is madness. The social repurcussions are surely obvious, and it's not clear what problem it might solve.

    Most cybercrime is actually linked to an EXCESS of arbitrary identification, with inadequate safeguards. For the average user, anonymity in reality has become a luxury. The simplest credit card purchase requires an inordinate amount of identifying information to be divulged, to total strangers, who then pass it all onto third party processors no one has ever heard of. Hundreds of millions of personal records are compromised every year, fuelling a rampant black market in illegitimate IDs.

    I say to Kaspersky, anonymity would be a blessing! To solve cybercrime, we don't need any new passport, rather we need to protect the identities we already have against theft and abuse.

    Stephen WIlson, Lockstep Technologies.

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