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How Much Harm Can One Web Site Do?
Ben Edelman has written extensively on issues including censorship and spyware. He's got a very interesting piece on his site now about who profits from spyware, and how much spyware can be installed on a Windows XP machine when the user simply visits a single Web site using Internet Explorer.
Well, if it's Slashdot, it can leave your server a smoldering wreck.
So is that link implying that visiting benedelman.org to read the website can install tons of spyware? Good thing I didn't RTFA.
Never confuse volume with power.
Am I supposed to click that link? Finally, we've found the antidote to slashdotting!
Much, if you count slashdotting as harm :)
how much spyware can be installed on a Windows XP machine when the user simply visits a single Web site using Internet Explorer.
Am I safe if I am on a win2k machine?
There is a spark in every single flame bait point.
Certain .cx sites are all the evidence needed. I rest my case.
The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
I LOVE the headline
Apparently we're forgetting the word "slashdot" as a verb.
From TFA:
... still there and could broke your life!" (s.i.c.)
"warning! you're in danger! all you do with computer is stored forever in your hard disk
Anyone else find the improper spelling of "sic" (used by an editor to mark improper spelling or usage in a quoted piece of text) to be humorous, or is it just me?
He probably didn't say because there are a lot of people who will just click any random URL they see.
Be afraid.
That would be pretty secure I think.
No network, no spyware!!!
Can you ping me now?... Good!
How much harm can one website do? This is slashdot. We blow up poor people's servers for fun!
This is not a sig.
Current common wisdom if you are an idiot I guess.
DrLunch.com The site that tells you what's for lunch!
<<< Granted most of the sites are not mainstream, and probably warez/mp3/p2p/porn... >>>
Jeese, I though warez/mp3/p2p/Pr0n WAS mainstream on the Internet these days...
"As the intrepid kobold companion continues his journey, he begins to wonder... if priests raises dead, why anybody die?
but then what is the internet for?
You guys on the "don't install SP2!" bandwagon need to wise up.
You straight up office/cube/lab support guys need to wise up. There's more to life than IE/Outlook/Office. Where I work, we use PCs to analyze genomic data and communicate and control robotic devices that gather DNA information. Often, esp the control software, is written specifically for a version of Win2K, let alone be able to update to XP S2. You heard me right--there's still lots of instances of NT, and even some Mac OS 7.5.3. In many cases, the original vendor is non-existent, hard to reach, or they specifically recommend against updating to a newer version. Often, security updates will break functionality that these applications depend on.
So thanks for the info. I'm sure XP SP2 makes a good kiosk. However, the guy that decided to run a $300K sequencer off a $700 Dell using some bastardized version of Java, and also can't be upgraded to XP or anything reasonably secure needs to have their head examined. I'm looking at you, ABI.
--
$tar -xvf
Does anyone else find this ironic considering his sig?
Redundancy is good And also good.
My mom doesn't understand why I make her click on the red globe icon instead of the blue E.
:)
You can resort to the old standby of car analogies.
Or you can just point the blue E to the red globe's exe file and she'll never know the difference
-matt
A patched Windows 2000 Machine
A patched Windows XP SP1 Machine
A patched Windows XP Machine
A patched Windows 98 Machine
What about Win95, you insensitive clod? Hmph.
(Note that I'm *not* volunteering to try it out, though I'm typing this on a 95 box. With Firefox, mind.)
Slashdot's token middle-aged housewife
Wow, the cajones on that guy..
Yeah, SP2 broke my SuperShopper HappySmiley E-Deals toolbar! Luckily, once I uninstalled it everything went back to normal.
And when *.microsoft.com is blocked for hosting the IE installer, where will you download your OS patches?
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