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Security Affecting Microsoft's Bottom Line
kidlinux writes "The Globe and Mail has an article discussing the impact of viruses and security flaws in Windows. Apparently Microsoft has bounties out on virus writers. 'The campaign reveals just how much of a threat to Microsoft's bottom line security flaws now represent.' The effects of various worms and security issues are becoming visible in financial terms - having to deal with the security issues keeps Microsoft from closing new deals, and governments and businesses are starting to look at the alternatives, such as Linux. 'For the first time, it seemed, flaws in Microsoft's software were translating into flaws in the company's business model.'"
Instead of writing more secure code or locking down system services by default, MS is going after the people who write viri. How is this going to fix the (in)security problem? Do they think this is the last generation of assembly hackers? Bah. Every day I'm reminded of why the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement is a good idea. Just remember that one day MS will be one of the many corporations that provides sponsered funding for your child's or grandchild's school.
Except that on an infection by infection basis most Windows exploits are based in the architecture, not faulty code, per se.
Garbage collection is no cure for intentionally failing to follow secure practice by default in order to "enhance the user experience" or gain an apparent performance advantage over those systems that use some portion of machine capacity to maintain security.
Ever denormalize a database to gain performance? Well, than you serve as an example yourself of the sort of thing Microsoft does. That performance increase came at the price of less secure data (in the sense that your data can become unintentionally corrupted).
If you make choices of that nature in kernel space no programing enviroment in the world is going to save your security ass.
KFG
I think you are underestimating this whole thing. Virus' and worms are a positive reason to use anything other than Microsoft.
I have talked to many people who seriously were considering disconnecting from the internet due to worms. I suggested using something other than Outlook, and most of the problems would disappear. And don't use IE.
There was a phone-in program on CBC the other day about this. There was an obvious chasm of experience between those who used Windows and those who didn't, ie Mac, linux, etc. It was amusing to hear a professor at a university say that he was moving away from using computers for sending stuff back and forth due to the instability of it all. Yes, and putting the blame squarely on Microsoft.
Microsoft has a real serious problem here. The solution is very scary for them: put all their best and smartest programmers for the next 3 years on rewriting critical parts of their application stack. Will they be able to hold onto the market? Will they be able to hold on to their talent? All this to produce something that is unmarketable.
It is very funny actually. Microsoft spent years building a marketplace that functions the way they want. Then some kid spends 15 minutes writing a script (yes, it is that easy) and the whole thing tumbles down.
Derek
"The embedded market is much larger than the PDA market. Think cellphones. Think consumer electronics, connected DVD players, industrial products, etc."
Yeah, I just found my next PDA (if my old Pilot III ever wears out) at Costco. From Sharp. Looks like a Palm Pilot to me. Has all the USEFUL functionality of a Palmtop. Can sync with a PC etc. $25.
My last two cell phone were free. One as a "Good Customer Bonus" from AT&T, and the other as a Sign-up reward from Verizon. You CAN pay a lot for a cell phone, but the vast majority of users won't.
A $200 operating system for my microwave? Hmmm I don't think so.
I'm not saying the embedded market isn't important. It will be at the heart of everything we do with electronics. I'm just not sure that Microsoft is prepared to only make two dollars a pop on Windows CE. This is not how they are going to achieve new market share. That is, unless they decide to merge with Sony or something in which case they will soon cease to be Microsoft as we know it an will become a part of a much more intricate Borg.
Fortunately, companies that size don't usually coast downhill gracefully for decades. A big corporation can bleed out with surprising speed. Look at the amounts involved in the IBM/SCO case, and imagine MS, with declining revenues, getting into lawsuit after lawsuit with stakes that big. What MS is spending on catching virus writers is actually reasonable. What they have spent encouraging SCO is less so, and what they are spending on lobbying governments to use windows, or on developing new lines such as console gaming or net server tech is worse, as little of it has shown any profit yet. When every new action starts costing them lots of extra money to fend off the consequences of the last ill advised plan or lawsuit, they will find themselves suddenly posting a multi-billion quarterly loss, and the deadline to go broke or smarten up will be a few months rather than a few decades away.
Who is John Cabal?