“The brand spanking-new Windows operating system called Vista – billed as ‘the most secure version of Windows yet’ on the Microsoft Web site – has proven a pushover for Internet hackers,” The New York Daily News reports.
“Microsoft has acknowledged Vista has a flaw that could allow users to increase their access level to administrator, a problem first posted by a Russian hacker,” The Daily News reports.
“A flaw was also found in Microsoft’s new Internet Explorer 7 that could download viruses from a booby-trapped Web page. That flaw and five others were reported by Determina, a Silicon Valley computer security company,” The Daily News reports.
“News of the IE7 flaw and the hacker postings is a black eye for Bill Gates and Microsoft – and for the thousands of PC makers who will begin selling their computers next month with Vista,” The Daily News reports. “Vista’s big selling points, besides it supposed safety and security, are its stunning 3D graphics that many critics argue is simply an attempt – and a bad one at that – to match what Apple has had for years on the Macintosh.”
Full article here.
John Markoff reports for The New York Times, “Microsoft is facing an early crisis of confidence in the quality of its Windows Vista operating system as computer security researchers and hackers have begun to find potentially serious flaws in the system that was released to corporate customers late last month.”
Markoff reports, “On Dec. 15, a Russian programmer posted a description of a flaw that makes it possible to increase a person’s privileges on all of the company’s recent operating systems, including Vista.”
“Over the weekend a Silicon Valley computer security firm said it had notified Microsoft that it had also found that flaw, as well as five other vulnerabilities, including one serious error in the software code underlying the company’s new Internet Explorer 7 browser,” Markoff reports. “The browser flaw is particularly troubling because it potentially means that Web users can become infected with malicious software simply by visiting a booby-trapped site. That would make it possible for an attacker to inject rogue software into the Vista-based computer…”
Full article here.
I just have to wonder what in the world is going on over there.
Maybe all the Starbucks outlets in Redmond have been adding liquid MDMA to their coffee, I dunno. “Vista is so pretty! So secure! We just love it! Would you like a hug? Mmmmmm…”
And it’s not like we all didn’t see this coming or anything, but sweet jeebus, it’s so pathetic!
I hope Jim Allchin is enjoying his golf game today. >.< “Sorry Mr. Allchin, we can’t run your credit card, our servers are down.”
Thank you for the Xmas present, MS. You’ve made my boxing day a merry one.
OH!… and here’s a little cherry on top, and a message to MS brand managers – You Suck! That’s right, you suck and you should be not only fired, but blacklisted from ever doing your jobs anywhere else ever again.
Why?
Well, a little while ago, as I was opening a fresh box of Apple Jacks to make breakfast and enjoy my morning MDN reading, what should fall from the box, but a tiny little paddle-shaped video game! “It had to come to this” I thought, realizing that the natural evolution cycle of any toy or electronic product must eventually lead to its fall in status to the level of “Free Inside!”
The game itself is called Disco Mania, and is one of those basic LCD games like the ones Bally Midway used to make when we were kids, two figures doing jumping-jacks on a screen about the size of a postage stamp. The gameplay is basic to the point of being almost offensively stupid, complete with an irritating soundtrack of beeps.
Now, can anyone guess what brand name is molded proudly into this game’s already scratched silver bezel? That’s right, say it with me…
X-BOX
Microsoft. You would put your brand name on this little piece of shit? Why? Will it sell more consoles? How do you figure that??? This is how you treat your IP, by slapping it on any old garbage you find laying around, just to get it into a few million more hands?
Wow. You really do *epicly* suck. Good day to you.
-c
I SAID GOOD DAY.
MW: ‘has’ (been)
Worth thinking about..
Microsoft makes no money from XBox…they make no money from Zune…They do make money on operating systems but with the flood of problems about to happen they will not make much money on these in the short term. They make most of their cash from the Office Suite of products…but much of their functionality at least at the lower levels will be matched by FREE apps from Google and others. Pages, when the next version arrives is really a different animal combining true page layout ability with simple word processing (ever tried to get a Word document to fit a piece of premade stationery?)…hence providing value that is unlikely to be matched by a free web based app. Still…Microsoft has so much money that they can afford all these ventures and ill fated attempts are reinvention for many years.
When I talk to my PC friends they universally tell me… I don’t get viruses..never had a worm…no spyware…
and they have checked…these are not dumb people. So…the hype about viruses is clearly overblown…and this is me speaking as a Mac guy since the 80’s…
In order to move people to the mac side it has got to be a better weighted equation. I think you will see that beginning in earnest at Macworld.
Keith Moon,
Shouldn’t you be trashing a hotel room somewhere?
Cubert,
I’m taking the day off.
Keith
Two years ago this Christmas I bought our nieces two daughters (now ages 9 and 13) a new eMac, along with a ‘For Dummies’ book on OS X. They have updated and maintained this computer by themselves all this time with absolutely no problems. Whether doing their homework (?) or buying music (with their mom) from the iTunes Store for their iPods, it all just works. And that is why the majority of people in this world should be using a Mac.
Vacuous, Insipid, Supercilious & Turgid Alluvion
Windows Vista’s design is flawed. No matter how many times it is patched, it will still be flawed “by design.” The only way Microsoft can fix the problem is to dump Windows and start with something new (or “old” as Apple did when it dumped Mac OS 9 for a Unix-based system).
Those who attempt to equate Mac OS X security to Windows insecurity are wrong. The safety through obscurity myth is obviously wrong. Windows Vista is currently only released to corporate customers, and already there are numerous serious security issues and flaws. Mac OS X has been out there for five plus years with tens of millions of users, and there has not been a single piece of malware that as caused loss or damage. All we see are lame “concept” malware and “warnings” about vulnerabilities without any demonstrated exploits. Real world evidence suggests Mac users are safe and secure (and can get their work done without constant worry), while Windows users must buy, install, and update security software as a way of life. I use a Windows XP laptop for work, and my mental attitude when I use my “PC” versus Mac is completely different.
‘Low’ risk, folks. Must be a slow news day.
Are you guys playing with your new Zunes? Welcome to the social.
Learn along time ago software has a life span. At some times you need to start over. When you put bandages on bandages. You get a flawed product.
Basically diddent they take Windows Server 2003 as the base OS engine for Vista? When they finally could not get the builds of Longhorn to work?
They either build on a good foundation or that blvd going to sink!
MS kept its word and madde the OS easier to use for everyone….
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MacMania, Zeke: I’ve been living on this planet for rather longer than you have, apparently. UNIX’s reputation for security comes from it being continually compared to WIndows, which is a very low bar, indeed.
UNIX was intended for use within Bell Labs, which was hardly a hostile environment. It embodies several fundamental design mistakes, the worst of which are the “setuid” bit, and the existence of a “root” account.
Read and learn:
http://andercheran.aiind.upv.es/toni/unix/index_en.html
And if you want to know what a system that really is designed for security looks like, google for KeyKOS and Coyotos for two examples.
-jcr
“What planet have you been living on? You really should learn something about Unix and it history before you make ignorant statements like the one above.”
It’s you who’s ignorant. If you can’t break a Unix box with a small amount of trying, you’re not trying hard enough.
Unix has had it’s share of problems over the years, and has gone from being trivial to break in the 60’s 70′ 80’s and 90’s to somewhat tougher now.
Gosh, what a SHOCK! Windows vulnerable? LOL! OF COARSE IT IS!
People will NEVER learn. ROTFLMAO! Go ahead, use Windows, I’ll just sit here and laugh my butt off as the stories of hell pour in!!!!
VIRUSTA
What’s a looser?
V.I.S.T.A. – Virus Infected System That Ass-rapes