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Microsoft's Definition of Security |
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 On April 1st, Bill Gates sent out an email that stressed Microsoft's commitment to improving security. Many people probably thought it was an April Fool's joke (one much better than our's), but it turns out it was true.
According to The Register (by way of Security Focus), Microsoft's Chief Software Architect stated "security is as big and important a challenge as our industry has ever tackled" and said it's a problem that won't be licked overnight. He elaborated, "It is not a case of simply fixing a few vulnerabilities and moving on. Reducing the impact of viruses and worms to an acceptable level requires fundamentally new thinking about software quality, continuous improvement in tools and processes, and ongoing investments in resilient new security technologies designed to block malicious code before it can wreak havoc."
If you made it through that entire quote, good job. If you didn't, Bill bascially said that Microsoft needs to change the way they do things, to think about security the entire time, not just try to tack it on as an afterthought.
Well, in case you missed it, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is due out in the summer, and it's going to have a host of improvements. The biggest of which is that all the security features will be turned on by default (imagine that), i.e. the built-in software firewall and automatic pop-up blocking. The update is expected to cause a rash of tech support calls, but also protect most XP clients from more forms of attack (if nothing else, most of the ports on the systems will be closed and that should stop a lot of spyware and hacker attacks).
Gates even said that the "number of 'critical' or 'important' security bulletins issued for Windows Server 2003, compared to Windows 2000 Server, dropped from 40 to nine in the first 320 days each product was on the market."
Could it be true? Does Microsoft finally have a grip on the security thing? Has the world turned upside down?
No, it hasn't - don't get your panties in a bunch. See, a vnunet article tells us that Microsoft is sort of fudging numbers when it comes to critical alerts, or as Joe Wilcox (an analyst with Jupiter Research) says, they "must have a different way of counting".
He goes on to say, "I'd like to know if Mr Gates counted moderate or low alerts, seeing as how Microsoft changed how it rates security problems in between product releases". Wilcox counted more than 20 critical alerts in a shorter span of time than what Gates was talking about.
And yeah, you call it a "critical alert", I call it a "minor vulnerability" (potatoe-potahto), but the point is that Microsoft is still fudging the facts to cover up the fact that they've got a long way to go to make Windows anywhere close to Linux or OS X in terms of security.
Speaking of which, the dual-threat of Linux and OS X, along with the fairly recent virus outbreaks (Slammer, Blaster, Sobig and Mydoom, just to name a few), has got Microsoft on their heels. They have a lot of work to do to maintain marketshare and it's going to take a lot more than just talking about it. The soonest that Longhorn will get here is 2006, and even then it won't be an Operating System that's been written from the ground up with security in mind.
So Mac and Linux users, you've got nothing to fear from the Redmond behemoth for some time.
(And since this article was rather serious and dry, I've just got to say a few things to get them off my chest: pants, fishsticks, pants, pants, chicken-butts, insane clowns, midgets in fishnet stockings wielding salami logs, pants, cheese, broccoli, Liver McNuggets, Al Sharpton and Dukakis. Did I mention pants?)
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April 6 2004, 4:59 PM EDT, by
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Comments:
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| stickman67 |
4/6/04, 10:16 PM EDT |
Wouldn't it be peachy keen if Service Pack 2 turned Windows into OS X for PCs.
*Sigh!*
It's a young girl's dream come true!
[Note to self: Stop reading Nancy Drew mysteries immediately!]
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| rlhamon |
4/6/04, 10:24 PM EDT |
You know I'm glad Bill Gates doesn't give a crap about his customers. I mean if you admit you make software that has security holes and kinda patch the holes but sometimes not. I will say Microsoft can make good near bullet proof software when they want to. Really Have you ever tried to hack the Windows Activation? I mean wow when it comes to making sure that everyone has just one copy of windows or office on there computer Microsoft is good! Greedy (CENSORED)
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| NadaQ |
4/6/04, 10:45 PM EDT |
I heard that people using a Mac and who received that eMail from BG heard some strange noises followed by hysterical laughter coming out of their Mac...
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| okcalla |
4/8/04, 3:30 PM EDT |
actually hacking the windows activations crap is easier than you think. but shhhh i didnt say that. i wouldnt use pirated MS software. OS X users honor!!
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