Victims of hacker attacks can retaliate

A cutting-edge software, including that produced by the McAfee.com company, makes it possible to detect with high probability the source of hacker attacks and even to strike back (experts do not recommend to strike back, though, since in doing so you may hurt the innocent user, and, besides, any hacker attacks, even if retaliatory, remain unlawful). According to Ryan Russell, an analyst with the SecurityFocus company, such precedents have already taken place. At the same time, he doubts whether respected companies will go as far as to counterattack, because this may hurt their reputation. The novel software’s potential should be used not to carry out counterattacks, but to gather information of the attackers and their whereabouts, so Internet providers could, on the basis of these data, figure out and switch off the hackers, Mr. Russell is quoted as saying.

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