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Ballmer Touts Focus on Security

Posted by michael on from the read-his-lips-no-new-remote-root-holes dept.

kevinvee writes "Microsoft's Steve Ballmer announced a renewed focus on security at the Worldwide Partner Conference yesterday. He recognizes the fatal user flaw of not applying patches and introduced an educational plan to help correct this. Also included in his statement was a response about computer researchers who publish flaws in Microsoft products, 'I wish those people just would be quiet.' The end of the article gives unbiased coverage of some people's opinions about the latest announcement."

2 of 322 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'm sure he does wish they would be quiet by capt.Hij · · Score: 3, Informative
    "I wish those people just would be quiet," he said of computer researchers who publish vulnerabilities in Microsoft's products. "It would be best for the world. That's not going to happen, so we have to work in the right fashion with these security researchers."

    They want to educate people but do not want the people who really know to talk about it? This seems a bit paternalistic even for microsoft. They want to be the ones who work with people to make updates but do not want anybody else to have a voice.

    The semantics themselves are also a bit problematic. I'm assuming that he doesn't really want them to "shut-up" but rather not talk to people outside of the microsoft offices???

  2. Meanwhile... by An+Anonymous+Hero · · Score: 3, Informative

    Gartner echoes concerns on Microsoft reliance

    A copy of the Gartner research note seen by CNET News.com mirrors the conclusions of seven prominent security researchers, who released a paper stating that Microsoft's dominance in software could have serious consequences for national cybersecurity. The Gartner report is scheduled to be published Friday.

    (The point is not what they are saying, it who's saying it.)