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

Microsoft invites what now?

[MindPrison]

They invite hackers to take their best shot?

Why not just PAY the hackers to do their best at breaking it?

Re:Microsoft invites what now?

[mrxak]

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. Microsoft could afford to pay these guys and get some actual results out of it. The alternative really is to let all the black hats find out the exploits months in advance, report nothing, and then on release day things go absolutely nuts.

Re:Trap?

[just_another_sean]

You may be right. In a pschological sense they succeeded with at least one person, at least if you take his statement at face value. From yesterday's article:

Mr. Moore, 24 years old, who lives in Austin, Texas. But he says the meetings put a human face on a company he once saw as impenetrable. "You're less willing to publicly humiliate someone you know in real life," he says.'"

I can just imagine...

[wealthychef]

Security expert at Microsoft: "delay shipping Vista! We know it's ready otherwise, and people are clamoring for it, and stock prices depend on it, but I've discovered a security hole that is very serious!" Bill Gates: "I think you need a career change. Don't you have an assistant that says it's ready to ship as is? Let me talk to him..."

Re:why invite the black hats in?

[CarpetShark]

Charity...that's what he's doing

No. Bill's "charity" is a needle compared to the haystack his company extorts from users who are stuck with his monopoly. People in africa have asked him to offer software at prices proportionate to income there, and he refused, obviously not caring that the vast majority in a poor country cannot afford basic software that costs over a MONTH's wages. Giving a little back does not make up for that. Especially not when it's done in his name, as a publicity stunt, in partnership with his wife, who he's probably trying to look like a decent person in front of. Certainly not lately, when he's been taking photo ops with political leaders, and getting Knighted by the UK, which is currently suffering from scandals involving underhanded deals for peerages etc.

Anyone can give to charity. The question is... why?