Microsoft Invites Black Hats into Vista

gtzpower writes "Microsoft is inviting hackers to 'Take Your Best Shot' at Vista. 'You need to touch it, feel it,' Andrew Cushman, Microsoft's director of security outreach, said during a talk at the Black Hat computer-security conference. 'We're here to show our work.'" From the article: "A security team with oversight of every Microsoft product — from its Xbox video game console to its Word program for creating documents — has broad authority to block shipments until they pass security tests. The company also hosts two internal conferences a year so some of the world's top security experts can share the latest research on computer attacks." Essentially a tie-in with an article we discussed yesterday.

Comments

why invite the black hats in?

[ed.han]

aren't they already freaking there?!

ed

Re:why invite the black hats in?

[soulshinejam]

I just got pwned.

Re:why invite the black hats in?

[Si]

What else does this guy have to do to wash the blood from his hands?

Give the money back.

Re:why invite the black hats in?

[MrAnnoyanceToYou]

"That man's been served so hard, he may never walk again."

Trap?

[mrxak]

It could be a trap, you know. Bring in the black hats, and then brainwash them en masse so they don't want to use computers anymore but still buy many copies of MS products. No more security problems!

Re:Trap?

[thelost]

It is a trap. They have a suicide booth in there, with Vista logo's printed all over it. The last thing you ever hear before dying a horrible bloody death is the Windows Vista Chime.

Re:Trap?

[soft_guy]

Isn't that what all versions of Windows have always been?

Re:Trap?

[kinnell]

The last thing you ever hear before dying a horrible bloody death is the Windows Vista Chime.

...and the last thing you see is a clippy saying "You look like you are about to die a horrible and bloody death. Would you like some help with that?"

Re:Trap?

[jareth780]

That or sick Steve Ballmer on them.

"Ballmer SMASH!"

How it plays out

[MrSquirrel]

------------Now-----------
MS: "Have it Vista, hackers -- see if you can find any exploits"
BHs: *they go to it* "Nope, we don't have any security holes to report to you, it looks like Vista is impenetrable."

------------Vista is released-----------
MS: "What the heck? How can there be over twelve-thousand viruses for Vista on the day it's released?!"
BHs: "All your Vistas are belong to us! Thanks for your help Microsoft!"

'You need to touch it, feel it,'

[spun]

"Now Vista, can you show us on this doll where the hacker touched you?

"Let the record show that the victim pointed to the KERNEL!"

Re:What do you get if you actually do discover a f

[Reverend528]

r00t access?

Security team?

[Drathos]

"A security team with oversight of every Microsoft product from its Xbox video game console to its Word program for creating documents has broad authority to block shipments until they pass security tests."

So.. Have they been on a 10 year vacation or something?

Re:Security team?

[boyfaceddog]

They? Vacation? I'm pretty sure the "team" consists of a dog tied to the "testing PC" and trained to bite anyone who approches.

Re:Microsoft invites what now?

[A. Bosch]

Probably a good idea to do $1,000 pet exploit found first, plus a free copy of Vista when it's done for everyone reporting at least 20 (let's be honest, it probably won't be that hard to find 20), and some other rewards for most found.
Second Prize: $1000 and 2 free copies of Vista.