Has anyone ever had their computer used for a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack? I bet there have been some college guys/girls that had a computer on that nice fat pipeline that was last patched in 95 that got hacked and used.

I got this idea from an article on securityfocus.com:
http://online.securityfocus.com/infocus/1647

If they have been at university or colledge the last 7 years without patching, they were probably setup!

Wow munzyhorse! You sure got a lot of posts there! :D

:p Don't give away the secret you doodoo head! :D

I make it a point not to be hacked. Even the most rudimentary precautions will stop most hackers - there's always an easier target. The problem with DDOS attacks is that many sys-admins don't know the first thing about security policies, why they're important, and how to define and implement them. The end user should always be assumed to be insecure (computer-wise, not emotionally). Ingress/Egress firewalling, Intrusion detection/prevention, QOS, and a simple to follow security policy will help keep down the likelihood of an nnocent computer being turned into a cracker's weapon of destruction.

The more computer equipment becomes commoditized, the more important this will be. When DDOS attacks hit phones (mobile or home), cable TV, and all other communication systems, they'll be taken more seriously. Currently the admins are busy putting out techno-fires, or playing with cool new gadgets, and therefore don't have time to take care of the mundane security issues.