[LINK] Rampaging bugbear

[Rick Welykochy]

Malcolm Miles wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 04 Oct 2002 12:23:28 +1000, you wrote:
> 
> >Given that Windows users have put up with this badboy behaviour on their PCs for
> >years, one wonders when
> >
> >(a) Microsoft is going to close off the myriad and multiple paths through its
> >    buggy and dangerous operating system in order to stop once and for all these
> >    malicious attacks;
> 
> Microsoft released a patch for the security hole that both bugbear and
> klez exploit back in May 2001. Current versions of IE do not have this
> security hole.

Fixing holes in the O/S for each and every virus that comes out is ar**-backwards.
There are over 50,000 virus and worm exploits for the Windows platform. AND, as
we all know, there are literally hundreds of millions of unpatched PC's out there.
As a matter of fact, some of the older virii are now doing the rounds again, and
will continue to do so as long as there are unpatched Windows boxes in the wild.

Re-read my comment: MS must "close off the myriad and multiple paths" ... meaning
that the tight integration of the browser, HTML rendering, active scripting,
email components and networking must be broken for these viruses to be rendered
ineffective. One of the (many) reasons virii are not as virulent or prevelant
on Unices and Macs is that this tight coupling was *never* allowed in the O/S
design, for very good reason. (There are many many more reasons virii are not a problem
on non-Windows boxes, but that would take up too much time and space to explain).

Malcolm, as a constant apologist for Microsoft on this list, I wonder if you do
consulting work for the Windows platform. The short-sightedness of the your remark
above would tend to make one think this is the case.  Do you have an MCSE?


cheers
rickw



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Rick Welykochy || Praxis Services

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