Re: Why not patch all windows and not just legal copies

Michael Davis (Comcast.Net) wrote:
There is a bigger picture here and its not personal data
protection. The simple fact is that there are millions of unpatched
computers that are serving as breeding grounds for malware of all
kinds as well as being used by hackers as bots.

Simply indicating that users can back up their data doesnt address
the impact the unpatched computer has when used as a weapon (bot
launching pad) nor the cost in labor incurred by us collectively
when we respond to the issues botnets cause.

So, you are saying that since you stole my TV, if it doesn't work with your
entertainment system, I should provide the cabling to make it work properly?

No one has stopped (although I am sure the attempt is being made) the people
from getting patches through other means. Sure - it takes effort - but the
truth is - it should have taken some effort to steal the stuff in the first
place. If you are unwilling to continue the effort of using the stolen
stuff, you should have never stolen the original stuff... Isn't that known
as the snowball effect?

I see what you are saying - the end-result is machines that get infected and
attack legitimate machines - and can make more progress because they have a
broader base (the unpatched machines) to attack from.

However - you can look at that another way..

The stronger you know an attacker can be - the stronger the defenses must
be. So one could argue that such security has improved because the styuff
was stolen and is remaining unpatched. The only machines left being
infested are those who do not take the time to patch their stolen systems.

It's going to happen in any case - patched machines or not. Would it slow
if there were more patched systems or would it speed up because the bots
already there would have new feeding grounds (the patched code) and be able
to learn to get around these patches?

More than likely - it would not slow the onslaught to make it easier for the
ones with stolen stuff to patch their systems.. It would have no effect
probably. The people who get hacked are usually not those who stole the
stuff, but those who did not take the time to secure the OS. Laziness, a
large factor, still exists. And since the automatic updates still patch
critical issues (legit or not) at the moment - these people are unbelievably
lazy if they both stole the OS and didn't turn on the automatic updates. heh

What I am saying is that you are saying it is the unpatched systems that are
breeding grounds for attacks and bots and hackers..
Yeah - we agree.

What I don't think is that the reason they are unpatched is leaning (in the
majority) towards the stolen systems.. Because those people know how to
protect their systems and do. Allowing those who did not legitimately
license their OS an easier path to patching will not have any effect on the
many people who do not patch because they do not bother to understand they
need to.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


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