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ALSR in Vista Gets OEM Push

Posted by Zonk on from the at-leas-they're-trying dept.

gr00ve writes "Eweek is reporting that all the major OEMs will enable DEP/NX in their BIOSes by default to allow Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), a new security feature in Windows Vista, to work as advertised. ASLR, which is used to randomly arrange the positions of key data areas to block hackers from predicting target addresses, is meant to make Windows Vista more resilient to virus and worm attacks." From the article: "Because most CPUs that ship today support DEP/NX, Howard explained that Vista users on older hardware can use the control panel to manually verify that PCs have DEP enabled. With full support from OEMs, Microsoft is effectively using ASLR to create software diversity within a single operating system, a move that is widely seen as Redmond's attempt to address the monoculture risk. The memory-space randomization technique will block the majority of buffer overflow tricks used in about two-thirds of all worm and virus attacks."

11 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. I feel dumb. by bigdavex · · Score: 4, Funny

    ALSR?

    34/en/m/c

    --
    -Dave
    1. Re:I feel dumb. by clydemaxwell · · Score: 2, Funny

      So is R religion or race to you? Because either you're a christian or a caucasian, and statistically speaking, you're likely to be both.

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    2. Re:I feel dumb. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Roughly 299,792,458 m/s

    3. Re:I feel dumb. by DittoBox · · Score: 2, Funny
      This is slashdot, we all know your sex.

      None?

      --
      Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick Two.
  2. Re:SKREEEEEEEEEE! by Chosen+Reject · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's pretty obvious what it's talking about. It talks about security countermeasures in you inbox. That's obviously viruses and trojans. Thus the squatting Sume Wrestler is taking a crap directly into your inbox if you use MS. The imagery is a little over the top, but it presents the facts quite well.

    --
    Stop Global Warming!
    Just say no to irreversible processes!
  3. This is good news by ENOENT · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now if only Microsoft could develop a system for delivering electric shocks to users who run untrusted executables they receive in email, that would be something.

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    That's "Mr. Soulless Automaton" to you, Bub.
    1. Re:This is good news by truthsearch · · Score: 4, Funny

      Microsoft does sell their own mouse.......

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      Developers: We can use your help.
  4. NX by ThurstonMoore · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have noticed if DEP is turned on in XP when I look at the folder with all my porn and thumbnails are turned on it causes Explorer to crash. I hope they fix this.

  5. Re:Mixed news by gsn · · Score: 3, Funny

    You must be new here. this is Slashdot. Hes never gotten a PEEK at anything before let alone got to POKE it.

    Even the nerd chicks don't think memorizing memory address ranges is cool.

    --
    Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.
  6. Re:Mixed news by wiggles · · Score: 2, Funny
    I know by heart the memory address ranges of the various core Windows components

    You win. You are officially the biggest geek here -- and that's saying something!

    Seriously, if you have this kind of shit memorized, you really need to get laid.
  7. Re:so how will this affect installing Linux? by Lord+Ender · · Score: 4, Funny

    Duel boot?

    Linux: On-guard! This MBR is MINE!
    Windows: *parry* *thrust* Never! The first 512B are the domain of NTLDR! Mu-ha-ha!
    Linux: Touche! Looks like the boot CD will be needed to get GRUB back on here. *removes mask*

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