The Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications recently published a 260-page report entitled Hackers, Fraudster and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime [PDF file].

"[The] report recommends that end users be required to 'install anti-virus software and firewalls before the Internet connection is activated,'" writes The Register's Jane Fae Ozimek. "They should then do their best to keep security up to date and 'take reasonable steps to remediate their computer(s) when notified of suspected malware compromise.'"

"For those already concerned about Orwellian tendencies in Australia’s policy on the internet, there is yet more stuff to cause alarm," Ozimek writes. "The Australian Communications and Media Authority will be asked to increase (further!) 'its access to network data for the purpose of detecting malware compromised computers.'"

Click here to read the article at The Register.