The dotCrime Manifesto

Internet crime keeps getting worse...but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this book, Internet security pioneer Phillip Hallam-Baker shows how we can make the Internet far friendlier for honest people–and far less friendly to criminals.

The dotCrime Manifesto begins with a revealing new look at the challenge of Internet crime–and a surprising look at today’s Internet criminals. You’ll discover why the Internet’s lack of accountability makes it so vulnerable, and how this can be fixed –technically, politically, and culturally.

Hallam-Baker introduces tactical, short-term measures for countering phishing, botnets, spam, and other forms of Internet crime. Even more important, he presents a comprehensive plan for implementing accountability-driven security infrastructure: a plan that draws on tools that are already available, and rapidly emerging standards and products. The result: a safer Internet that doesn’t sacrifice what people value most: power, ubiquity, simplicity, flexibility, or privacy.

Tactics and strategy: protecting Internet infrastructure from top to bottom

Building more secure transport, messaging, identities, networks, platforms, and more

Gaining safety without sacrificing the Internet’s unique power and value

Making the Internet safer for honest people without sacrificing ubiquity, simplicity, or privacy

Spam: draining the swamp, once and for all

Why spam contributes to virtually every form of Internet crime–and what we can do about it

Design for deployment: how to really make it happen

Defining security objectives, architecture, strategy, and design–and evangelizing them

How to Build a Safer, Better Internet

You’ll find yourself deeply concerned, then fascinated, then hopeful as you read about

•    Building an Internet that resists online crime

•    Phishing, botnets, and spam: tactical, workable, immediate countermeasures

•    Establishing the “Accountable Web”: a strategic, long-term solution to Internet crime

•    Improving security without sacrificing what people love about the Internet

The Internet is today’s Wild West: too much lawlessness, too little accountability. Now, one of the Internet’s leading pioneers shows how we can build a more trustworthy Internet: one that resists crime without frustrating honest people or compromising privacy and civil liberties. Drawing on years at the cutting edge of Internet and security research, Phillip Hallam-Baker offers a complete plan for reinventing the Internet: a plan that addresses everything from technology to politics and culture. Whether you’re a technology professional, policymaker, or citizen, this book will show you how we can make the Internet better, smarter, and above all, safer.

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Preface xix

Acknowledgments xxiv

About the Author xxviii

Chapter 1: Motive 1

Chapter 2: Famous for Fifteen Minutes 37

Chapter 3: Learning from Mistakes 51

Chapter 4: Making Change Happen 81

Chapter 5: Design for Deployment 107

Chapter 6: Spam Whack-a-Mole 119

Chapter 7: Stopping Spam 135

Chapter 8: Stopping Phishing 155

Chapter 9: Stopping Botnets 175

Chapter 10: Cryptography 199

Chapter 11: Establishing Trust 215

Chapter 12: Secure Transport 227

Chapter 13: Secure Messaging 251

Chapter 14: Secure Identity 277

Chapter 15: Secure Names 311

Chapter 16: Secure Networks 323

Chapter 17: Secure Platforms 343

Chapter 18: Law 355

Chapter 19: The dotCrime Manifesto 377

Further Reading 383

References 387

Index 395