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Microsoft Says "War on Terror" is Overblown

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the also-sugar-is-sweet dept.

SlinkySausage writes "The endless security measures imposed on society as a result of the "war on terror" have become overblown and intrusive, according to Microsoft Redmond senior security analyst Steve Riley. He made the comments in a talk at day one of Tech.Ed Australia about software security. Riley also fessed up that Microsoft cocked up XP from a security perspective. "We let you down with XP," he said. Microsoft also showed a very interesting new desktop virtualisation technology called SoftGrid, which allows applications to be virtualised individually, rather than a whole OS. Think Virtual PC or VMware, but instead of virtualising an OS, just a single application is virtualised."

10 of 666 comments (clear)

  1. Karma gets even with MS! by ArcherB · · Score: 5, Funny
    I'm kinda glad that MS gets to feel the pain of "overblown and intrusive" security. Maybe they will understand that it is better to make things secure from the beginning, rather than overacting after the fact.
    From TFA:

    Steve's approach to security spans all horizons, not just information technology. He elaborated on this theory in an afternoon session today at Microsoft Tech.Ed entitled "Making the Tradeoff: Be Secure or Get Work Done". You are trying to get work done. Allow or Deny?
    --
    There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
    1. Re:Karma gets even with MS! by Gr8Apes · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well, even if they don't know how to properly secure something, I giuess they at least know improper security when they see it. They've certainly seen a lot of different ways to do it badly!
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      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  2. Ironic by ArcadeX · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd rather deal with airport security than install programs on my girlfriend's vista laptop...

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    An I.T. motto in the hands of an idiot is a dangerous thing...
    1. Re:Ironic by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 3, Funny

      Installing Windows makes airport security look efficient. The TSA makes Microsoft look thoughroughly efficient and competent.

  3. Re:Our way of life is not under threat! by plague3106 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Few people are killed in gun accidents in the US and the overwhelming vast majority of those are preventable by slightest bit of common sense and following gun safety rules.

    Isn't that kinda the definition of "accident?"

  4. Re:Let you down with XP by Farmer+Tim · · Score: 3, Funny

    Release new operating system, try and make the old one look bad.

    Not a lot of work involved there.

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    Blank until /. makes another boneheaded UI decision.
  5. Re:Because of H-1B Visas by tmjr3353 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because they aren't in business to keep America safe. That's okay, the current administration isn't either.
  6. The terrorists have already won ... by seyyah · · Score: 5, Funny

    because I just found myself agreeing with Microsoft ...

  7. Just perfect by HangingChad · · Score: 4, Funny

    The endless security measures imposed on society as a result of the "war on terror" have become overblown and intrusive, according to Microsoft Redmond senior security analyst Steve Riley.

    I agree with Microsoft on something. Great, just perfect. Now I have to get ready for the 4 horsemen, a rain of fire and the end of time.

    On the plus side that means I won't have to mow this week.

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    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  8. Re:What's smart about a false choice? by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 2, Funny

    With sftp Available on Windows.

    and konqueror Or Internet Explorer 7. So I can fire up IE7 (or Windows Explorer) and point it at "sftp://my.example.com/" and start up a SFTP session, handling SSH keys, etc. and transfer my files through a secure SFTP session? I was poking around looking for a reference to this and I'm not finding it anywhere. The closest I've gotten is a hint of IE7 supporting FTP over SSL (which would be FTPS).