Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer heralded an end to virus and worm attacks
Ballmer talks up bullet-proof Vista security
/v3-uk/news/1945103/ballmer-talks-bullet-proof-vista-security
12 May 2006, Tom Sanders in Santa Clara, California , V3
Windows Vista will deliver a level of security that could bring an end to traditional virus and worm attacks, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer claimed during a public speaking engagement in Silicon Valley yesterday.
"Subject to the fact that there might still be a small amount of human error, we will have eliminated the known attack vectors that people use against us today," Ballmer said at an event at the Churchill Club and Commonwealth Club.
Ballmer touted the security of his firm's forthcoming operating system as one of the main reasons why people should upgrade, together with its new search and graphics features.
Because Windows is one of the most targeted applications, Microsoft has been able to collect huge amounts of data on how hackers attack the software, Ballmer pointed out.
Windows Vista will offer a raft of security enhancements. Users will run in a standard mode by default, whereas today most user accounts have administrative rights.
The operating system will also come bundled with the Windows Defender AntiSpyware application, and the Vista firewall is capable of bi-directional filtering, although its default configuration will be to filter only inbound network traffic.
The forthcoming Internet Explorer 7 also contains enhanced security features, including the ability to inform users when they visit a known phishing website.
But, while claiming that the operating system itself would be "bullet-proof" , Ballmer warned that criminals will find other ways to target computers.
"The next generation of attack vectors are more likely to be insidious, in the sense that instead of disrupting people it will try to steal your money and steal your identity," he said.
"The battle moves more to malware and phishing than just the old-fashioned viruses."
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Do you agree?
ms
instead of checking the buffers, and writing the code to be correct in the first place, microsoft has decided to sell us av software to protect against thier holes, in thier software. why make it right when you can charge for your mistakes.
Posted by rd, 12 May 2006
this is microsoft...
... known for being buggy and insecure.
Do you really think they can stop such.
If so, they will send out of business hundreds or even thousands of firms offering protection software!
Posted by tom, 12 May 2006
Talk about damned if you do - damned if you don't...
... known for being buggy and insecure.
Do you really think they can stop such.
If so, they will send out of business hundreds or even thousands of firms offering protection software!
So.. what you're saying is that they're incompetent if they can't do it, and criminal if they do - but of course, if they don't - you'll be one of the first to call them equally criminal for NOT trying to stop viruses and malware.
How exactly does Microsoft win with people like you?
Let's look at it another way: Microsoft wrote an OS when these threats didn't exist. Windows was around for over ten year before these things were issues.
Then, because it's hard to rewrite an entire OS while maintaining compatibility, it took them some time (yes - too much time) to catch up.
Companies that have been making security software have been living on borrowed time - and they've been making good money at it. But no one is OWED a market. If the market changes, it changes. In this case, it changes in a way to benefit the user of the product.
As a user of Windows, I see this as a plus - and to be honest, I really don't care if companies like Symantec have to find new things to do.
BTW, Apple had the same problem before switching to MacOS X, and with their smaller (and more slavishly devoted) user base, they could get away with such a huge change so quickly. Microsoft can't do that.
Posted by The Werewolf, 13 May 2006
damed if they do or don't
Tom (the comment poster),
What exactly do you want Microsoft to do?
Maybe you would be happier if they created an OS that no-one used and therfore no-one bothered to try an attack? ... oh hang on, they already exist - Mac & *nix ;)
Posted by Ryan, 15 May 2006
To Tell The Truth
I doubt Microsoft could tell the difference between an orange and security
Posted by I_Dont_Believe, 15 May 2006