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OpenOffice.org Security 'Insufficient'

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the taunting-crowds dept.

InfoWorldMike writes "IDG News Service's Robert McMillan reports that researchers at French Ministry of Defense say vulnerabilities with open source office suite OpenOffice.org may rival those of Microsoft's version. With Microsoft's Office suite now being targeted by hackers, researchers at the French Ministry of Defense say users of the OpenOffice.org software may be at even greater risk from computer viruses. "The general security of OpenOffice is insufficient," the researchers wrote in a paper entitled In-depth analysis of the viral threats with OpenOffice.org documents. "This suite is up to now still vulnerable to many potential malware attacks," they wrote. The OpenOffice.org team has already fixed a software bug discovered by the researchers, and the two groups are in discussions about how to improve the overall security of the software. "The one real flaw in the programming logic has been fixed," said Louis Suarez-Potts, an OpenOffice.org community manager. "The others are theoretical.""

7 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Let me think... by DumbSwede · · Score: 5, Funny

    which should I use, hmmmm...
    Microsoft's Office Suite IS being attacked.
    OpenOffice could, possibly, theorectically, be attacked.

    --
    Letter To Iran
  2. The Bad News Is... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...that OpenOffice has security flaws.

    The Good News is that in the time it takes the suite to open and load an infected document the malicious hacker has been captured by the FBI, brought to trial, convicted, and a patch made available.

  3. leaked MS Expense Report by Gothmolly · · Score: 5, Funny

    From: sballmer@microsoft.com
    To: accounting@microsoft.com

    Attached find my receipts for the recent meetings I had with the French Ministry of Defense:

    First class plane ticket to Paris: 2100 USD
    Swank hotel in Paris: 1800 USD
    Dinner for 2 at a spiffy restaurant: 800 USD
    Hookers and blow for MoD officials: 5000 USD

    Business Justification For Expense: I believe that we will sell ONE MILLION copies of Office to the French MoD.

    --Steve

    PS If you get a bill from the hotel about a broken chair, it was like that when I got the room, so I don't think we should pay it. Bill said it would be OK.

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  4. The imporant news here by andreMA · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... is that France has a Ministry of Defense.

    1. Re:The imporant news here by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 4, Funny

      I disagree. The important news is that they have finally overestimated a threat.

  5. The only problem with open office is by popsicle67 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It doesn't have a sales staff that can kiss a ministers ass.

  6. Re:"theoretical" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, no, no... if you can unzip faster, you can penetrate faster. And if you happen to have a virus...