[by Yvette Wohn]

Rising security problems are painting a very dark picture for the future of the Internet. The New York Times recently published an article noting the rise of malicious software. This software, known as malware, is installed in one’s computer– in many cases, without the user’s knowledge. It then uses that computer and the Internet to link to and infect other computers. Many of the programs are aimed at extracting personal financial information.

Researchers note that malware is increasingly becoming difficult to detect and delete, and that the software developers on the “bad side” are way ahead of those on the “good” (developers of anti-viruses or anti-spyware). In the past, Windows PCs were the sole target of malware, but with Apple’s increasing market share, Macs are also being infected, although Steve Jobs seems reluctant to say so.

Jonathan talks about these problems in the “Cybersecurity and the Generative Dilemma” chapter of his book, where he gives examples and prospective scenarios of bad codes and expresses concern on how increasing pressure from problems caused by plagued computers could push consumers to desire a PC that is more like an appliance.

It is the basic infrastructure of the Internet and its openness that allows malware to thrive. Certainly, as pointed out in Chapter 2, the optimistic Internet founders were not thinking of blocking malware when they drew up the Internet’s design. More widespread use of the Internet, however, has weakened the mutual trust that was present in the early days of its conception and questions are being raised on all kinds of security– individual, financial, and even national.

But if such an insecure Internet is what lies in the future, how do we stop it? The most important part of this question is “we”– who is the “we” that will take responsibility?

For some, “we” means the government. In that arena, we are seeing that Jonathan’s predictions are coming true at an alarming pace. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) commission released a report yesterday on cybersecurity for the Obama administration. The report suggests that a new presidential office be created– the “National Office for Cyberspace”– and that the president should establish a “Cybersecurity Directorate” in the National Security Council. Other proposals include better methods of authentication of digital identities and updating laws that were “written for the technologies of a less-connected era.”

How Obama will respond to this proposal is yet to be seen, especially since the Obama campaign’s technology stance was to “protect openness of the Internet.” [It would certainly not be the first time a government was actively involved in controlling the Internet. Government control even happens in democratic countries on the higher rungs of the global economy ladder-- take, for example, recent censorship problems in Australia and the United Kingdom; or efforts of politicians in Korea to get rid of anonymity in order to illegalize online slander.]

Although I agree that cyberspace needs some sort of order, I don’t think the government or certain organizations should be wholly responsible. We need more collaborative efforts, such as Stop Badware, which is a partnership among academic institutions, technology industry leaders, and volunteers.

Individual users should also take a stronger initiative in protecting their own security. Malware, for example, is like the flu– highly contagious, sometimes lethal, and does not discriminate to race, age or gender. Sometimes catching it is unavoidable, but you can take measures to brace yourself against an attack by running anti-malware and anti-spyware software. If you do come down with it, make sure you work to get it out of your system, especially before it contaminates someone else. And do check your credit card statements for suspicious activity.