The Windows Security Nightmare

latif writes "Microsoft has set aside a $5 million fund for paying off informants on malware authors. In my opinion a good chunk of this money deserves to be paid to individuals who help catch the Microsoft employees behind the design of Windows Registry and Windows Update. As I found out, the two mis-features work together to deprive Windows users of all protection from malware. The details of my experience are in the article Why Windows is a Security Nightmare." In a related story, Anonymous Wussie writes "This guy had family with a problem: A Windows XP computer hit by worms that couldn't stay on-line long enough to get patched. His solution? A CD. This article describes the custom made CD he sent to his family member with patches, tools, and instructions to make a fresh install of Windows XP Home Internet safe. I know I'll be doing this in the future."

Comments

Uh huh!

[imidazole2]

A typical Windows system follows a simple lifecycle: it starts out with a clean Windows installation, which gradually deteriorates as programs are installed, and uninstalled. Eventually, the Windows registry accumulates so much crud that the user is forced to do a clean install. When a user does a clean install that user's system loses all the previously applied security updates, and becomes a sitting duck for worms and other malware.

Thats why I'm such a FreeBSD/Mac advocate.

Re:Uh huh!

[smittyoneeach]

Yeah, but can you hear the distant howls of derisive laughter echoing back through time from the alternate future where they actually did that?
Admittedly, I can't either, but it sounded kinda cool, so I wrote it.

Burn a cd?

[JustKidding]

custom made CD he sent to his family member with patches, tools, and instructions to make a fresh install of Windows XP Home Internet safe. I know I'll be doing this in the future."

Better make that a rewritable...

that's easy...

[Anonymous Coward]

the CD held knoppix

my windows security nightmare..

[Anonymous Coward]

my windows security nightmare involves bill gates breaking all my boxen with a life size stainless steel Clippy.

Re:Custom CD

[rsidd]

Wow...what a concept! I never would have thought of that.

You can get the same from MS, free.

RTFA. (Wow, what a concept!) He covers that.

A grandmother can do it

[AtariAmarok]

""so simple, even my grandmother could implement it."

"(AP) Dateline August 12, 2008. National and international commerce was brought to a halt as the "SugarCookie" worm infected and seized up the installed base of Windows 2006 computers. An FBI task force was able to determine that the worm was written by someone's grandmother who thought she was entering a cookie recipe into her computer. She was quoted as saying 'I did not know that Windows was so insecure that you could bring down networks with accidentally-written worm programs'"

Re:A grandmother can do it

[EvilTwinSkippy]

Grandma's gotta stop getting her recipes from the Anarchist's Cookbook.

A Different Perspective . . .

[pariahdecss]

How about creating a CD to make the internet safe from Windows XP
Maybe something that strips out the entire TCP/IP stack - a castration of sorts for the good of all mankind

My name is Bill and I pronounce Windows -- WeenDOHS

Re:Use the Firewall

[somethinghollow]

Okay. I'll climb under my desk, unplug my nic, climb out, power on the machine, wait until everything is loaded, climb back under my desk, plug it back in, then climb out and be productive.

That is a great solution. Maybe Microsoft should make a KB article and send it to all the upperlevel business types in corperate America. I can see all the suits in their lavish office hundreds of feed above the city streets doing the Microsoft Shuffle. Now all they need is a catchy pop song to go with it and they'll be on Casey Kasem's Top 40.

I'd rather just use my Mac.

your dad says...

[blastedtokyo]

Son, I think it was a virus that took your name out of the will.

Re:Use the Firewall

[bryanp]

Perhaps I'm taking the analogy too far, but can you name another product that is widely sold brand new with massive known defects?
Ask me again on election day.

Re:Use the Firewall

[minotaurcomputing]

"And if you're on a wireless LAN?"

Wave you hands in front of the antenae to block the signal.

Re:Use the Firewall

[sik0fewl]

How about you wait until the firewall is loaded before plugging in the network cable?

Yeah, that's an elegant solution:

"Windows has finished starting. It is now safe* to plug in your network cable."
*Warning: may not actually be safe.

Re:Use the Firewall

[mav[LAG]]

Girls are like Internet domain names, the ones I like are already taken.

You can still get one from a foreign country :)

Re:Use the Firewall

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm running XP SP2 beta at home, and this is exactly what it does:
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=106651& thresho ld=0&commentsort=0&tid=109&mode=thread&cid=9077529

It posts to Slashdot? That's creepy.

Re:Whether you are offended

[jamesmrankinjr]

Take an iPOD, a Laptop with a wireless card in it, and a wireless access point to a retirement home. Place them on a table right next to an Internet connection of any kind. Now ask if any of the residents can get a song from the iTunes store onto the iPOD.

On the other hand, if you tell them that they can use it to download pictures of their grandkids, they'll probably have it up and running faster than a 19 year old nerd could :).

Peace be with you,
-jimbo

Re:Use the Firewall

[silicon not in the v]

Sorry, but Zone Alarm, Black Ice, etc. are all PIECES OF SHIT.

...later...

God I hate seeing ignorant fucks blaming the software vendor for their own ignorance, then getting modded up for it.

Uh, yeah...me too. :)