“As if Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff didn’t have enough on his plate. Not only has he had to deal with Katrina and Osama. Now he’s also got to whip Steve Ballmer and the crew at Microsoft into shape. If past is prologue, that last task may be the most daunting of all,” Charles Cooper writes for CNET.
:In a remarkable declaration earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security–a bureaucracy set up to deal with stuff that generally falls under the category of national emergency–called on all users of Windows software to install a new security patch issued by Microsoft,” Cooper writes. “This wasn’t your garden variety flaw. The fear in Washington was a repeat of something like the chaos caused by the MSBlast worm in 2003.”
Cooper writes, “By now, Chertoff’s people must be thoroughly frustrated that Microsoft still turns out poorly designed products. What with terror plots being uncovered overseas and threats of airline bombings, cybersecurity obviously is not the top headline this week. But the threat of a network meltdown has not disappeared–especially when flaws so regularly turn up in Windows, the computer operating system most people in this country use.”
Cooper writes, “Defenders will argue that it’s unfair to demand perfection from Microsoft; that software is an imperfect art. And besides, they add, is the Mac operating system or Linux bulletproof? Clearly, the answer is no. But the number of security holes turning up in either operating system is a fraction of what turns up in the Windows world.”
Cooper writes, “Here’s something to consider: If bridge builders or airplane designers applied the same standards to their labors, do you believe that the public would so easily forgive the regularity with which bridges would collapse and airliners fall out of the sky?”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “LinuxGuy and Mac Prodigal Son” for the heads up.]
It’s really sad that so many people have to be wary about opening email, visiting websites, chatting with presumed “buddies,” or downloading music, photos, movies or other files over the Internet. No one should have to zealously guard their computers against spyware, viruses, trojan horses, or various other types of malware. Or run a bewildering assortment of (quickly obsolete) virus-protection apps. And no one should have to run a computer to a nearby computer store, so it can be “cleaned” on a routine basis. Do you know why people put up with that? If their cars didn’t drive where they wanted to go; their TVs didn’t play what they wanted to watch; or their phones didn’t connect to the party they called, how long would they keep using them? Apple provides more info online about Mac security here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
With exploits in wild, Microsoft Windows braces for yet another critical worm attack – August 11, 2006
Get a Mac: Viruses, spyware cost U.S. consumers $7.8 billion over last two years – August 08, 2006
Microsoft’s oft-delayed, much-pared-down Windows Vista hacked at Black Hat – August 07, 2006
Ballmer analyzes Microsoft’s One Big Mistake, Vista… er, ‘One Big’ Vista Mistake – August 02, 2006
Symantec details more security holes in Microsoft’s Windows Vista – July 26, 2006
Symantec researcher: At this time, there are no file-infecting viruses that can infect Mac OS X – July 13, 2006
Sophos: Apple Mac OS X’s security record unscathed; Windows Vista malware just a matter of time – July 07, 2006
Sophos Security: Dump Windows, Get a Mac – July 05, 2006
What Microsoft has chopped from Windows Vista, and when – June 27, 2006
Apple: ‘Get a Mac. Say ‘Buh-Bye’ to viruses’ – June 01, 2006
Windows virus threatens 170-year-old Toledo newspaper’s perfect record, Apple Macs save the day – January 27, 2006
Security company Sophos: Apple Mac the best route for security for the masses – December 06, 2005
Hackers already targeting viruses for Microsoft’s Windows Vista – August 04, 2005
16-percent of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs – June 15, 2005
US Department of Homeland Security: patch Microsoft Windows now or risk complete system compromise – August 10, 2006
CCIA wants U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security to reconsider buying ‘insecure Microsoft software’ – August 29, 2003
U.S. Department of Homeland Security says Windows vulnerable to attack – August 01, 2003
Department of Homeland Security chose Microsoft due to time and money limitations – July 21, 2003
U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards enterprise agreement to Microsoft – July 15, 2003
The birdflue virus does cost less than Microsoft’s malware…
The bridge and airplane analogy is similar to the car analogy that I have used for years. The next time someone is bitching about how their Dull is running slow and they want to buy another one. Ask them if they bought a car from Ford and it ended up in the shop every week for repairs, would they buy another Ford? Light bulbs start turning on.
it worries me imensely that govenmentss etc use windows
HS also releases warnings about Macintosh security holes.
For some reason, those don’t get much publicity.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SECOND THE COMMENT FROM ANDY
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY THIRD THE COMMENT FROM ANDY
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOURTH THE COMMENT FROM ANDY
I’d like to include that it is extremely worrisome that Banking and other Financial institutions would still continue to base their online operations on a platform coded by Microsoft.
“HS also releases warnings about Macintosh security holes.
For some reason, those don’t get much publicity.”
Please provide link
theloniousMac, security holes don’t come close to equaling exploits, and shouldn’t get the same amount of publicity.
First, a hole can let you past one level of security, but not the next, so it may not be possible to do anything meaningful with the hole. Second, exploiting a hole may require one or more non-standard setups in order to be useful to a hacker, as we’ve seen with the unsuccessful trojan released last spring that required a specific Bluetooth setup in order to propagate. And finally, a hole may require sophisticated techniques, extensive knowledge of the OS, and a great deal of work to be exploited.
All of these help to explain why OS X has had holes discovered, but no successful exploits. The fact that Windows has had so many successful exploits suggests that: 1) Once you get past Window’s front line security, you’re in control. 2) Many Windows holes do not require non-standard setups. 3) Many Windows holes are relatively easy to exploit.
I think we should start writing and calling our financial institutions, governments, etc, and start asking why #1 they are gambling with OUR security/money/livelihood by using Windows, and #2 request (not demand like the obnoxious Mac Users we’re so branded for being) that they CEASE and DESIST immediately considering what issues even NON-Mac users will admit to having and dealing with on the M$ side.
I’ve already dropped one bank for having horrible online GUI’s that don’t jive with Safari (or Firefox !!) well and for having their ‘brand new HP’s’ seize up during simple queries!
Does anyone else not see the way to Apocalypse (the death of our online-existing global persona) by way of the Gates and Ballmer squad?
MDN-W – ‘meaning’ as in appreciate the ‘meaning’ of our existence and choose a better platform!
Just wanted to add this –
‘livelihood’ is defined as “The means of SECURING the neccessities of life” – something I think everyone using a beige box should consider. Kind of fits considering how many of us make rent staring at a screen all day.
“Ballmer squad” — I like that!
It’s about time more people recognize that:
1. Windows is completely unsuitable for any kind of networking.
2. Windows is completely unsuitable for any “mission critical” service.
Scary indeed to consider how much of our economy and government is based on such a fragile, unsecure platform. Cray to think it makes pen-and-paper look good in comparison.
Here’s to the day businesses & institutions demand real IT security from each other, they same way they demanded Y2K preparedness.
I’ve already dropped one bank for having horrible online GUI’s that don’t jive with Safari (or Firefox !!) well and for having their ‘brand new HP’s’ seize up during simple queries!
My experience is online banking stinks.
Poor security, lousy UI’s, snail-slow performance (when there aren’t server errors). It’s more effective to bank in person or over the phone.
Heh maybe Apple should get into banking. We need something that “just works”.
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To top it off: check out the Security Now! podcast concerning the new Vista networking stack; all new, completely rewritten—including all the old bugs that have been fixed since Win95. Scary for Windows users!
Bankers Hours….
You might wanna give Washington Mutual a try.
I’ve been banking online with them for years now, using safari… no problems other than they use Sunday night to do their web page updates, and that’s when I used to want to pay my bills.
I don’t even use paper checks anymore, or cash. Just the online bill pay and the atm card.
I have been using Sun Trust for several years with Quicken and no problems.
Jim, WaMu is a Windows monoculture, but Safari works, and so does Camino, otherwise I would switch banks.
if it wasnt for microsoft flaws, we’d have the cure for cancer long time ago.
microsoft made the world a stupid place.
Go here and download Episode 51.
BTW, if you’re going to listen to this while drinking fluids make sure that no sensitive electronics are in the line of fire.
It is scarey that US government is so dependant on MS. However we should all direct our anger to the application/web site developers that are MS only. That is where the real problem is.
Governments/biz don’t have a choice since the day to day software they need is only available in windows. Even if they were to put macs they would still have to run Windows. They just can’t get away from it. Some companies are never going to port their software to OSX….unfortunately.
Liberals are pussies.
And all people that make generalizations are idiots.
Oxymoron: Ballmer’s innovations.
netstat -w 1 is your friend
JEG >
Trust me, if the Federal government said it was switching to Macintosh from 2008, there would be a growth in Macintosh app porting and development that would make the Apollo programme look like a weekend hobby in someone’s garage.
“And all people that make generalizations are idiots.”
Ampar, I’ve never seen you be so self effacing!
… and Frank truly is an idiot.
Chris: Nothing better than a self-referential contradiction!
A bit of history from the recent past.
The Department of Homeland Security decided to go with Microsoft in spite of negative comments from some federal computer security experts.
One of the Homeland Security IT “experts” who pushed ahead the decision to go with Microsoft was later fired. Seems the person had one of those online “send us money, we’ll make you a PhD” types of academic background.
Magic word: figures. It figures.
At least thanks to Microsoft and its use at my large employer (80,000 employees) I have job security from Windows insecurity.
I think I read somewhere a few years ago that Combat Information Centers on US warships use a special, fully-checked out version of Doze. No matter how slick the US Navy’s version may be, if it’s true, then there’s one more thing to worry about. Anyone read or heard what I’m talking about?
I have to cast my eBanking vote with Jim. Never had a problem with Safari or Firefox accessing Washington Mutual online banking. Whether WaMu is a M$FT monoculture from its machines at teller desks to its server software for online banking, WaMu’s programmers have made it platform agnostic.
MW: I have no cause to fault WaMu’s online banking — quite the contrary.
I’ve been using Wells Fargo on-line banking for 5+years. I’ve used Netscape, Mozilla, and now Safari with no problems ever.
Neomonkey…
“Jim, WaMu is a Windows monoculture”
Tell me about it. My brother in law is one of their web site guys. He actually worked for mafiasoft before he left there and traded up to WAMU. They will never allow a mac in their business model if he has anything to say about it. Every family get together we argue like an old married couple. HATES apple and everything mac.
Just to mess with him, a couple of weeks ago I got my niece a 30 gig ipod as a gift for landing her first real carreer job. She loved it. Now she’s having me help her purchase a macbook and selling her dell laptop on ebay. lol…. I’m the uncle that “rocks” and the evil brother in law all at the same time.
Life is good.
That’s a great story, Jim!
Jim >
My former business partner did a similar thing with his brother once by buying his then two-year old a drum set for his birthday.
Kid thought it was the coolest thing in the world and used to beat seven shades of crap out of it each day, brother and sister-in-law quietly grimacing in the corner.
Any gift that can serve two purposes at once should be considered an investment and be allowed against tax.
Ampar, I don’t know if this tops Jim’s story, but it’s great anyway.
A friend of my partner was looking to buy a computer for his studies. His brother, a PC reseller, tried to talk him into getting an $800 AU desktop Windows system. However, he had already heard from my partner how fantastic Macs were (especially new Macs) and came around the check out our PPC gear.
He was sold after one visit so purchased a new Macbook as soon as he could.
He showed his his new Macbook to his brother (the Windows PC reseller) who was gobsmacked – beautiful hardware, OS and software he said. He did a bit of research for himself and has decided to buy himself a new Macbook Pro when his tax cheque arrives.
We have another switcher from deep inside enemy territory. MS, you should be worried.
My heart breaks!
What a shame that these “poor” fellows are deprived from using a modern OS…
by this insurmountable STUPIDITY!
What my sister wants to know is, do Conservatives eat Liberal pussies for breakfast?
Fanatic Realist…
your former business partner is a man after my own heart… although… I’m afraid that getting a tax break for sending my brother in law into a hissy fit is asking a bit much from the cosmic powers.
Stuart… Nice.
Ampar.. thanks bro.
From the comments to the article I must say I am very satisfied. Our users are truly adept and faithful. Have you read the apologies and the fight around “MS is attacked because of market share”. If OS X or Linux had the market share (Linux has it, btw, on the server side) THEY would have the same problem.
Ahhh, I am proud of my customers. Totally brainwashed. You Mac fan boys have no chance to make a dent on our market share.
You think being more secure counts? Being more stable counts? Being better designed counts? Having better software suites counts? Providing an outstanding user experience counts?
AHHAHHAHHHAHA Think again. We could not be able to write good software but our marketing department RULES. (as well as our brain washing conferences)
This is funny, because, having researched these bugs, I found that they only affect versions of windows xp that are about 3 years old…
Plus, I can’t remember the last virus I had on my computer. I survived for YEARS without virus protection, and wouldn’t even have it on my computer were it not free.
MW: Why, as in why bitch about things of which you (allegedly) have no experience, and which isn’t as big a problem as this FEAR MONGERING government would like you to think it is?
You think the government is fear mongering? Right. You are aware of the fatwas issued by terrorist groups, right? You are aware that they follow up on them, right? You are aware that Islam breathes an undying eternal hatred for anything not Islamic (check out the Koran sometime), right? Smite them at their necks; no friendship with Jews or Christians; dhimmitude. Beat your wives, multiple marriages, temporary marriages, honor killing.
This is stuff a fear-mongering government could not dream up, because it comes from the heart and soul of a barbaric religion hailing from the 7th century AD. Islam has had bloody borders. Why? Mohammed was a man of war who took slaves, waged war, and executed apostates. Mohammed is the man which all Muslims are to emulate. What kind of societies does this produce? Why? Peace is simply a chance for the Islamists to re-arm (go learn what “peace” means from an Islamic perspective, ok?
The fear-mongering government is still pandering to the PC crowd by searching everyone indiscriminantly. The fear-mongering government still isn’t arresting people who leak national secrets, nor executing them, as all traitors should be. The fear-mongering government still lets Islamists into the country.
Wake up; wake up; wake up!