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Kaspersky calls for countries to be cut off the internet

By Stuart Turton

Posted on 20 Oct 2009 at 09:45

Eugene Kaspersky has proposed a radical solution to the problem of tackling cybercrime - he wants to cut off entire countries.

In an interview with ZDNet Asia, the Kaspersky Lab founder claims that anonymity needs to be stripped from our online dealings if the internet is ever to be made safer.

"Everyone should and must have an identification, or internet passport," he tells the website.

"I'd like to change the design of the internet by introducing regulation: internet passports, internet police and international agreement about following internet standards. And if some countries don't agree with, or don't pay attention to the agreement, just cut them off.

I'd like to change the design of the internet by introducing regulation: internet passports, internet police and international agreement about following internet standards

"The minds of law enforcement are still focused on national borders, but the internet does not have borders. It's a new world in which we have to think differently. That's why I always talk about the need for not just cyberpolice, but internet police - internet Interpol," he adds.

Kaspersky also had strong words for Microsoft's recently released Security Essentials package, claiming that customers wouldn't accept the company as a security vendor.

"Security is not part of Microsoft's identity. To change that takes years. Companies that want to change their brand definitions have to spend a lot of time and a lot of money, or be smarter," he says.

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User comments

I can't recall Microsoft to call for ditching any full-blown security software that any of the Windows' users might be running at their machines. Might have missed it somewhere. We all know Yamaha as a manufacturer of motorcycles but the list of their musical instruments is even longer. Microsoft is a software developer but it makes games consoles as well. Nobody suggests that MS is trying to BECOME a security software brand. They just include it in their offer so what's the problem?

By Josefov on 20 Oct 2009

Brilliant, Eugene.

In an atmosphere where government is invading or negating our privacy at every turn, where there are regimes whose opposition can only speak freely because of a degree of anonymity, and where "Atlas Shrugged" is seen as an instruction manual rather than a warning, this bozo wants to make it easier to do all of that. Obviously lamenting the passing of some of the more intrusive institutions of his country's former government - "In Soviet World, Internet browses YOU!"

By nichomach0 on 20 Oct 2009

"In Soviet World, Internet browses YOU!"

LOL.

I wonder if Eugene gets the joke?

By Lacrobat on 20 Oct 2009

What a total prat!

Security means loss of liberty.

I'd rather have liberty and be the victim to an indicriminate bomb .... than be 'secure' - and how secure will we be anyway??? Only true security is everyone is locked in a concrete tomb without any knowledge of the existance of anything outside that world or means to discover or manipulate it....

And anything than 'total' is a total waste of time, effort and money in any case...

By Dragons on 20 Oct 2009

I hope Eugene is not a Nuclear-Scientist. >

By zeevro on 20 Oct 2009

Been done already

From what I understand, North Korea has already done so and China is attempting a similar strategy
- Namely, all those contries that don't have an Internet policy that regulates the flow of information, get cut off

By greemble on 20 Oct 2009