Microsoft's New Security Mojo

Forwarded from: Richard Forno <>

Microsoft's New Security Mojo
Richard Forno
12 Nov 2003
Copyright (c) 2003 by author. Permission granted to reproduce in
entirety
with credit to author.

http://www.infowarrior.org/articles/2003-06.html

Recently, Microsoft announced a program to offer rewards in exchange
for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those who
exploit its flagship Windows product through viruses, worms, and other
forms of malicious code. Yet, despite the software giant's own
executives saying publicly over a year ago that their products
"weren't designed for security" the company continues to point fingers
at third parties, hackers, and crackers as the source of the many
problems plaguing the Windows-based portions of the Internet. It also
demonstrates the ineffective organized chaos that remains Microsoft's
response to the marketplace demands for better-developed,
better-tested products.

Security (or lack thereof) in Microsoft's products has adversely
impacted corporate profits for years, and finally is beginning to
affect Microsoft's future profit potential as well. As a result,
Microsoft suddenly is committed to improving security, despite its
years of sitting idle. Hence the company's mad rush to inject
"security" into every product, speech, and statement to reassure its
customers that Windows is still a worthy operating environment to
spend money on. It's even sponsored an upcoming report critical of
Linux security to help spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt about
Microsoft's chief competitor and underscore why Windows is a better
product. Sadly, rather than address its own problems, the company is
content to use creative marketing as a substitute for good security
and software development.



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Brian Valentine Statement on Windows Insecurity
http://archive.infoworld.com/article...05hnmssecure.x
ml

White Paper: Revamping the Security Bulletin Release Process
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
url=/technet/security/
bulletin/revsbwp.asp

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Security technologist Richard Forno is the former Chief Security
Officer at Network Solutions and author of "Weapons of Mass Delusion:
America's Real National Emergency." His home in cyberspace is
http://www.infowarrior.org/.






--
Colonel Flagg
http://www.internetwarzone.org/

Privacy at a click:
http://www.cotse.net

Q: How many Bill Gates does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None, he just defines Darkness? as the new industry standard..."

"...I see stupid people."

Colonel Flagg