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HomeSec Warns Again About Microsoft's Insecurity
cbrandtbuffalo writes "The Department of Homeland Security has posted this advisory about an impending attack on MS systems. This RPC attack has already been seen in some localized systems, but may spread as unpatched computers are exploited. Some of the national news like CNN are running stories too."
2 years / millions of dollars and the Home Land Security people tell me that people like to attack Microsoft Products.
I'm glad I pay all those taxs!
-- Disclaimer: I can't really back up anything I post on
Could we not go around referring to The Department of Homeland Security as HomeSec? The last thing we need is /. popularizing a cool sounding name for this behemoth.
If we need to refer to it then use the initial letters of its name... DoHs.
Somehow appropriate when they put out warnings like the last one.
John.
The whole Microsoft staff end up in Gauntanamo bay without trail or legal representation :) Seems fair to me...
I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
Microsoft is now officially a threat to Homeland Security. Maybe George should drop some bombs on Redmond! We know where they are and they keep putting out a product that threatens our security. Oh wait, the government saw fit to give them a slap on the wrist and turn around and contracted even more unsafe software from them. They'll undoubtedly be mentioned in future hindsight publications from congress but on blanked out pages for national security reasons. That's what we do for "friends".
Ugh.
Wilersh
On the DHS alert color code, blue means "guarded", just one notch lower than the alert level the USA have been living in for the last few months (with occasional orange flares). Should this color be reconsidered in sight of the well known Blue Screen of Death?
windows 98/windows 98se is vulnerable but Microsoft has not released a patch because they no longer support the product.#
So upgrade to Windows XP, or the 73rr0r1575 \/\/1ll win.
"Which port is it that you need to block?"
To make windows secure?
All of them.
Most government departments actually are designed to achieve the opposite of their names. For example, the "Department of Homeland Security" is in fact designed to control the level of insecurity that people feel. Likewise, the ministry of defence is really about offence, and in 1984 the Ministry of Information is about disinformation and so on.
In the book, the language was controlled to the point of creating new terms like IngSoc, MiniPax (ministry of peace, really designed to perpetuate war), and Double-plus good.
The whole point here is to justify the actions of the government. Because it becomes alot easier to justify removing civil rights when there is the perceived threat of some common enemy.
-- the only thing we have to fear is really scary things
This suggests a new marketing slogan:
"If you don't upgrade to Windows XP, then the terrorists have already won!"
"Which port is it that you need to block?"
:-D
To make windows secure?
All of them.
You only have to block the port where the power cord goes into the computer.
--- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.
Jeez, you Microserf zealots are getting irrational and touchy. Back off man, that's our shtick. ;-P
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
So it can be saved and get into heaven. Oh, you mean world.
Do not touch -Willie
To make your computer truely secure, follow these simple steps:
Should be truely secure... But for the overtly paranoid, concider dropping the planet into your local black hole. Please note that there may be information leakage as any entropy is represented on the black hole's event horizon.
Not practical... But fun.
-- The universe began. Life started on a billion worlds...
-- Except on one where stupidity was there first.
"Based on this notification, no change to the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) is anticipated; the current HSAS level is YELLOW."
Hasn't it been yellow for like ever? I think they just can't figure out how to change the bulb.
Slightly more seriously, are we all comfortable with the idea that the Vaterland Security Advisory System is now here to stay, and that it's now featured in contexts where the words "external" or "terrorists" don't appear? That Homeland Security bulletins, much like the "troops killed in Iraq" daily scorecard, are now routine routine occurances?
I've just had a kid. When he starts asking what the HSAS is, what do I tell him? "We're at War, junior. We've always been at War. Terrorists, drug barons, organized criminals, religious extremists, crackers, hackers, commies, arabs, they're all out to get us, and it's important to know just how scared the government wants us to be that we're going to die today."
Nice world he's going to grow up in.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.