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Microsoft Blasted For Lax Security
fducky writes "Once again Microsoft is blasted for lax security. This CNN article cites experts denouncing the recent Microsoft security efforts as rating an 'F'. The recent MS-SQL worm got this most recent round of MS bashing going. Google News has more stories on the subject."
which is impossible to judge right now. No amount of scanning code after it has been written can catch all problems. Nobody ever understands code as well as the person that wrote it. Microsoft's code base is huge beyond belief. With a full press effort, it is likely that it will be another 3 to 5 years before we truly know whether or not they've successfully changed their ways today because it will take that long to replace the code base with one mostly written by people conscious of security.
As to where I THINK they are today, it seems that they are truly security focused. The classes that every programmer have been subjected too have been more grueling than any from any other company I've ever heard of whose core business was not security software. This is despite the fact that the talent Microsoft hires is some of the best. They've taken their best talent and drilled it in that they've got to focus on security first and foremost. We will see results. They will take time.
I'd say that we will know the success of their efforts when we see the first .Net framework only OS (no legacy Win32 support) or OS installation option about four to five years from now.
I'm surprised discerning /.ers manage to post such crap. Not only is this article vague. For example, aside from the "many problems" with the patch system, try figuring out what these problems are. You can't, not from this article!
Check out this beauty of a quote:
A Consumer Reports survey last year found that virus infection rates on Macs are half what they are on Windows, noted Smith. "Is that because Macs are safer? I think the answer is yeah."
I wonder why there are fewer viruses for MACs... maybe they're safer... maybe...
Oh, that's right! No on uses a MAC!
A Consumer Reports survey last year found that virus infection rates on Macs are half what they are on Windows, noted Smith. "Is that because Macs are safer? I think the answer is yeah." This person obviously doesn't understand worms and viruses very well. Hackers want to see how many computers they can infect. This being the case, what kind of idiot hacker would create a worm/virus for the Mac platform? They are not very prevalent in the market and therefore would not be a target for hackers. Maybe if enough hosers who think Macs are more secure, go out and buy one, then those of us who stick with PC will have less worms/viruses to worry about.
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