Gates on Winsecurity

xandroid writes "Just a couple days after talking about free hardware, Bill Gates has sent an email to customers saying that Microsoft will continue to focus on security, titled 'A Microsoft Progress Report: Security' (MSNBC story, PC Magazine story, Google News' related stories). The email mentions that fast-spreading and destructive viruses and worms are 'threatening the potential of technology to advance business productivity, commerce and communication', but says that to counter the threats, Microsoft will make 'major investments in customer education and partnerships that will help make the computing environment safer and more secure'. He also talks about the XP Service Pack 2, and says that Microsoft is 'working with microprocessor companies, including Intel and AMD, to help Windows...support hardware-enforced data execute protection (also known as NX, or no execute)'." Reader Zephyr_in writes "Macworld reports that the beta-release of Longhorn is likely to be postponed to early 2005 because Microsoft is concentrating first on a security-focused update (SP2) to Windows XP. Earlier this week Gates said Longhorn is 'not a date-driven release.' and said the speculation that the operating system will come out in 2006 is 'probably valid.'"

Comments

Release Dates?

[Aldurn]

Windows Longhorn: We'll release it "When It's Done".

Innovative, isn't it ?

[lazy_arabica]

Meanwhile, criminal hackers have become more sophisticated

Sure, it was easier to write an assembler program adding it's own code to a software, while keeping the infected program executable, than scripting 15 lines of VB Script.

The kinds of threats are evolving too. Blaster, for example, hijacked individual computers, turning innocent users into unknowing and innocent worm propagators.

Oh, those poor and innocent individual users. What a wonderful way to make them think they are only victims, and never responsible of the spread of a virus, even if they don't make any effort to secure their system.

Central to our security efforts is preventing malicious code from being able to exploit a vulnerability by isolating such code, providing more effective control over what computer processes can talk to or work with, and making systems more resilient so they are able to identify and stop suspicious or bad behavior in its tracks.

Of course, the idea that a malicious program shouldn't be able to do much damage, because it has very restrictive rights is a strong innovation.

Memory Protection: Malicious software designed to exploit buffer overruns can allow too much data to be copied into areas of the computer's memory. Although no single technique can completely eliminate this type of vulnerability, Microsoft is employing a number of security technologies to mitigate these attacks.

Wonderful ! Microsoft OSs will (at last) have memory protection ! Let me remember, how old is Unix ? Nearly 40, isn't it ?

Could someone explain me how Microsoft can be seen innovative by so many people ? And how they can so proudly try to make us believe they always were (and will be) on the right way ?
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Re:Fine, whtever.

[DoraLives]

I ave *never* been infected by a virus. Never.

Do not tempt the gods that way. You're just asking for something.

Funny...

[ntr0py]

... that "Winsecurity" is so far removed from actual "security" that it deserves its own word.

Re:Funny...

[commodoresloat]

And it's telling that they chose a word that rhymes with "insecurity."

Re:Fine, whtever.

[sharkey]

I ave *never* been infected by a virus. Never.

Are you sure? SOMETHING'S got your keyboard fucked up.

The irony of spam

[srs5694]

I got the e-mail. For me, it was spam. I never asked for it. I didn't sign up for any Microsoft newsletter, and certainly not in any way that was verified via a reasonable opt-out system. Thus, I found the passage about spam particularly ironic. Here was some long-winded spam that trumpeted how the next version of Windows would have spam-protection tools. Naturally, I fired off an abuse complaint. So far, I've received no response to that.

Re:Some of what he says is right.

[GreenBugsBunny]

I don't think we're going to slashdot Microsoft.

This sounds like a challange ;)

Re: The point everyone misses

[rah1420]

I think you underestimate users. People will double click, unzip and spend however long it takes to run any attachment they get. Even if their e-mail program or ISP or whoever says something like "The attachment is a virus... do not open it." They will still open it.

Tell someone there are 100 billion suns in the Galaxy, and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he has to touch it to make sure.