Re: [Full-Disclosure] Support the Sasser-author fund started

scosol_at_scosol.org
Date: 05/16/04

  • Next message: chris: "[Full-Disclosure] DefCon 12 WarDriving Contest Registration Now Open" 
    To: Seth Alan Woolley <seth@positivism.org>
Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 12:19:21 -0700

    Seth Alan Woolley wrote:
    > On Sat, May 15, 2004 at 08:31:25PM -0400, Shane C. Hage wrote:
    >
    >>Why should Microsoft have more blame?
    >>
    >>In my opinion, I believe that software companies, especially Microsoft, have
    >>taken all of the appropriate steps to provide security within their
    >>products.
    >
    >
    > Keep your head in the sand, then. The design from the very beginning
    > was put together without security in mind. Their OS revolutionized the
    > anti-virus industry. There are numerous alternative operating systems
    > and cases where worms and viruses have been created for them (cf. the
    > Morris worm, slapper, etc), and most of the bandwidth in the world sits
    > on non-Microsoft software, mind you.

    Isn't that more of a very gray area?
    Yes, MS operating systems weren't really designed with security in mind
    until (IMO) NT4, and then- that security wasn't really pushed to the
    consumer until Win2k- but- that was *5 years ago* that it was.
    Win2k and WinXP aren't that different from OSX or most popular Linux
    distros from the "number of network servers enabled" perspective-
    The MS operating systems are the main source of problems for really only
    2 reasons:
    1) their popularity makes them the most valuable targets
    2) people don't update

    All of us on this list know that if all consumers ran auto-update
    properly and had it install stuff automatically, these worms would
    become very rare occurences. (while admittedly creating an interesting
    new set of problems)
    I don't really see what more MS can be expected to do, short of shoving
    auto-update down everyone's throats whether they like it or not (which
    will bring the tinfoil-hat crowd out in force)
    It is very seldom that a worm is out before the fix for the exploited
    vulnerability- it's just a matter of diligence.

    Also- your argument of "most of the bandwidth in the world sits
    on non-Microsoft software" is IMO invalid- these machines that you speak
    of are not operated by consumers- people are paid to keep them updated
    and secure. 

    -- 
AIM: IMFDUP
http://www.scosol.org/
RIP Red-Boy - 1998-2004 - "jupiter accepts your offer"
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