The Anti-Bot Code of Conduct for Internet Service Providers
A Voluntary Industry Code to Help Reduce End-User Bots

The Federal Communications Commission’s CSRIC Working Group #7 released a new voluntary code of conduct for ISPs and network operators on March 22, 2012 as a cooperative industry-government initiative. As an active contributor to this initiative, M³AAWG will be listing ISPs adhering to the code on this page.

U.S. Anti-Bot Code of Conduct (ABCs) for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) (A Voluntary Code) - Final Report, March 2012

By announcing their participation, network operators demonstrate to their customers and the Internet community their commitment to working against bots and malware that can covertly infect end-users computers.

Participants in the Anti-Bot Code of Conduct for Internet Service Providers (ABCs for ISPs)

• AT&T
• CenturyLink
• Comcast
• Cox Communications
• Time Warner Cable

Note to ISPs and network operators: To be considered for a listing on this page, contact M³AAWG Executive Director Amy Cadagin at amy@M3AAWG.org for information on how to verify your participation.

ABCs for ISPs Voluntary Code of Conduct Participation Requirements*

To participate in this Code, an ISP will engage in at least one activity (i.e., take meaningful action) in each of the following general areas:

• Education - an activity intended to help increase end-user education and awareness of botnet issues and how to help prevent bot infections
• Detection - an activity intended to identify botnet activity in the ISP’s network, obtain information on botnet activity in the ISP’s network, or enable end-users to self-determine potential bot infections on their end-user devices
• Notification - an activity intended to notify customers of suspected bot infections or enable customers to determine if they may be infected by a bot
• Remediation - an activity intended to provide information to end-users about how they can remediate bot infections, or to assist end-users in remediating bot infections
• Collaboration - an activity to share with other ISPs feedback and experience learned from the participating ISP’s Code activities

M³AAWG Co-Chairman Emeritus, Michael O’Reirdan, pictured at right presenting the code at a CSRIC meeting, chaired the CSRIC Working Group #7 that developed the code. Other M³AAWG participants included AT&T, CAUCE, Comcast, Cox, Damballa, ISC, PayPal, Sprint, Time Warner Cable and Verizon and M³AAWG Senior Technical Advisor Joe St Sauver.

Note to consumers: Because M³AAWG is focused on industry efforts, we are not structured to respond to individual complaints. Please do not contact us to report spam, viruses or bots. We suggest you contact your ISP or vendor help desk directly or see www.maawg.org/information-consumers.