RE: [fw-wiz] @Stake CTO fired for Microsoft comments

From: Claussen, Ken (Ken_at_kccweb.com)
Date: 09/27/03

  • Next message: Devdas Bhagat: "Re: [fw-wiz] @Stake CTO fired for Microsoft comments" 
    To: <firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 19:12:23 -0400

    Mr. Ferris Wrote:
    "The real irony to this is that the technology Microsoft condemns as
    being un-American, gets developed here and then adopted abroad."
    <snip>
    "we can blame ourselves and our great "capitalist nation" that
    utimately discouraged entrepeneurship and innovation by practicing
    fascism,
    corruption, and a virulent brand of savage, monopolistic capitalism."

    I thought this was a list of security professionals, not purveyors of
    FUD. I agree with Paul's comments, security is more about diversity and
    defense in depth than big words with little true meaning (referring to
    above statements). Snort can run on Windows as well as Linux, if
    Microsoft was not truly the fascist you claim (Ryan) would they not have
    found a way to keep Open Source software from working on the Windows
    Operating system? And the cracks on Windows security have little to do
    with the Operating system itself (there have been numerous Root level
    compromises of other operating system) and more to do with the skill of
    the administrator. How many Windows Servers have you worked with in a
    security context? I can say none of my servers (personal or work) have
    ever been compromised, and I have worked with hundreds. Let's tone down
    the rhetoric and get back to discussing security. I have seen people
    fired for much less than outright bashing of the operating system your
    company is contracted to audit. I prefer the Pix for firewalling due to
    the OS being integrated into the security code. A general purpose OS is
    always more likely to develop security vulnerabilities than a purpose
    built operating system. Instead of writing a report (which I have not
    read) criticizing Windows, would it not have been more productive to
    write a report describing methods which can be used to properly secure
    the OS in a language the average home computer user could understand?
    Let's face it most of the backlash from these worms is caused by home
    users who are not the technology zealots that frequent lists such as
    this. A Security Guide for Dummies would make more sense than senseless
    criticality and outright slander. Isn't it ironic that so many Open
    Source proponents are so close minded? I actually use a combination of
    Open Source and commercial software everyday.
    Ken

    PS If you are going to make statements such as the ones quoted above, at
    least provides refrences to support your argument, otherwise I think you
    should adopt Paul's .Sig (no disrespect intended Paul, I always thought
    it was amusing myself).

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Ryan M. Ferris [mailto:rferris@rmfdevelopment.com]
    Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 11:39 AM
    To: Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr; firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
    Subject: Re: [fw-wiz] @Stake CTO fired for Microsoft comments

    Gwendolyn:

    Last year DARPA cancelled a contract with OpenBSD researchers in
    Pennsylvania, after Theo deRaadt made a comment like:
    "I try to convince myself that the DARPA grant is saving the cost of
    half a
    cruise missile."

    If you use fascist logic to fire CEOs for telling the truth and deny
    funding
    to the study of other more secure OS because of political commentary,
    you
    will end up with the mixed results of a fascist technology. In this
    case,
    our country will continue to have weak network security due to a fascist
    agenda, leaving us vulnerable to other countries who have no such
    monopolies
    or politics to prevent them from choosing security vendors in an
    unbiased
    fashion. If we let Microsoft have it's way, open source software like
    Snort
    and BSD would be labelled "un-American". ( A highly ironic label given
    the
    academic start BSD has at a public university....)

    This logic extends well beyond network security. The space shuttle was
    used
    extensively during Gulf War I. For reasons that are not clear, we do
    not
    have that technology in place for Gulf War II. The real irony to this
    is
    that the technology Microsoft condemns as being un-American, gets
    developed
    here and then adopted abroad. Have you heard the rumour of the
    complaints by
    the administration about the DPRK using Linux clusters to develop
    nuclear
    weapons?

    When we wake up 15 years from now and find Russian, Chinese, and Indian
    technology dominating network security and other technologies across
    the
    world, we can blame ourselves and our great "capitalist nation" that
    utimately discouraged entrepeneurship and innovation by practicing
    fascism,
    corruption, and a virulent brand of savage, monopolistic capitalism.

    Ryan M. Ferris
    rferris@rmfdevelopment.com

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr" <gwen@reptiles.org>
    To: <firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com>
    Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 7:40 PM
    Subject: [fw-wiz] @Stake CTO fired for Microsoft comments

    >
    > For anybody that hasn't caught up with this yet:
    >
    > http://www.forbes.com/technology/newswire/2003/09/25/rtr1092228.html
    >
    > @tStake CTO loses job after Microsoft report
    > Reuters, 09.25.03, 6:46 PM ET
    >
    > SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The chief technology officer of
    > computer security firm AtStake, which consults for Microsoft Corp.
    > (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people), has been fired after taking part in
    > writing a report criticizing Windows as posing a national
    cybersecurity
    > risk, an associate said on Thursday
    >
    > cheers!
    >
    ========================================================================
    ==
    > "A cat spends her life conflicted between a deep, passionate and
    profound
    > desire for fish and an equally deep, passionate and profound desire to
    > avoid getting wet. This is the defining metaphor of my life right
    now."
    >
    > _______________________________________________
    > firewall-wizards mailing list
    > firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
    > http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards
    >

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  • Next message: Devdas Bhagat: "Re: [fw-wiz] @Stake CTO fired for Microsoft comments"

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