Microsoft puts trust in security wizards

Microsoft is furthering its security push with plans to release an application to help network managers protect Windows-based desktops and servers from hackers.

The Baseline Security Advisor uses wizards to guide administrators through the multiple security flaws found in Microsoft products. The program scans for weak passwords, unpatched programs and other vulnerabilities.

The application downloads an XML-based 700Kb vulnerability and patch database from the Microsoft website. Instead of taking on the role of an attacker, the scanner acts as an expert systems administrator checking off known problems against a list.

While the program will not be available until March, Microsoft demonstrated an early version of the scanner at its stand at the RSA conference in San Jose.

The scanner is among the latest moves to clean up the software giant's poor security image. It follows Bill Gates's memo to employees urging them to get rid of security flaws in products to get back into favour with disgruntled customers.

Craig Mundie, Microsoft's vice president and chief technical officer, said in a keynote speech to delegates at the conference that the security project aims to rekindle users' trust in Microsoft products. "It won't matter what we do now and in the future if people don't trust computers," he said.

The new programme officially started in February and will last for four weeks. During that time 9,000 of the company's programmers will deal with security issues and nothing else.

"We have a theory that if you spend four weeks on security issues and nothing else it's like kicking a bad habit," said Michael Howard, program manager at Microsoft. "We no longer have to use a big stick; people know it's right."

But security experts were dubious as to whether four weeks was enough to solve all of Microsoft's problems.

"The training involved will take at least a year," said Brian Breton, product marketing director at RSA Security. "They will have to have constant diligence; they will have to make compromises."