[Grit]

yes.

[D-fendr]

I wouldn't impute malice where ignorance is the trend.

[bmwcyle]

Microsoft does not need to increase profit by this method. They are fighthing to keep close source software now, You idea will not help the fight.

[bedolido]

they've known about the problem for awhile. had the patch ready before the worm hit...

not sure but it sounds like a great conspiracy theory.

[Grit]

Let me elaborate...

I don't agree with any one of your 10 points. And not one addresses: "Why?"

MSFT launches "benign" worm to preempt someone launching a malicious one? No. If MSFT wanted customers to patch their machines and had the ability and desire to create a worm to infect their machines. Why would they not just have the worm patch the machines?

[zchip]

Yes, you are wrong to think that the MSBLASTER worm was an inside job.

And you are wrong about someone in Redmond getting a big raise. Actually it would most likely be someone in India getting a big raise.

[theDentist]

Yawn. I guess MSFT is going to insert microchips in our food so they can track us from the scret Space station on Venus too, eh?

[SES1066]

You missed a step - M$ has been hinting for years now about how much better it would be if the Operating System (OS) license were sold on a subscription basis with yearly renewals. Thus, instead of a one-time purchase, every year M$ would get another chunk of money from each Windoze user.

With these kind of attacks, M$ could make the case that only this kind of business model can keep the patches and fixes coming for those who pay the subscription price. Hats off the the Redmond Geniuses - I'm rooting for linux competition - it is badly needed!

[mhking]

Take off the tin foil. Microsoft is just flawed software.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Worst. Post. Ever.

[tonyinv]

It was Bill Gates himself that created the hole and the worm, he secretly hates Windows and is trying to push people over to Linux.

[Redcloak]

[Proud_texan]

I don't think this is the case but if you use the follow the money theory the ones that really gain from all this are the anti-virus software companies.

But again, I don't think they had a hand in it but they do make huge bucks every time there's a new virus/trojan outbreak.

So let's see, that would mean there's a conspiracy between MS and Symantec and McAfee, et al. MS opens the holes and they sell the software to plug them.

[beckett]

Am I wrong?

Yes.

[Gunslingr3]

1) MSFT knows it put out flawed software.

Spurious charge. I've never met flawless software - the creativity and genius of idiots cannot be overestimated.

2) MSFT knows that a hostile hacker could take malicious advantage of the flaws.

Which is why, when the flaw in RPC was brought to their attention, they issued a patch July 16th to correct the flaw

3) MSFT knows that no one has been downloading the patches they've been sending out.

Anyone managing a windows machine is causing themselves problems if they refuse to get patches that MS issues to address exposed bugs.

4) MSFT sends out a relatively benign worm that does not destroy data, but gets users to update their machines. 5) MSFT deflects suspicion by putting a "Billy" message in the worm, and intimates that the real weapon will be directed at MSFT on Saturday.

I disagree, I see a worm written by someone hoping to give MS a black eye by first compromising machines that people were too lazy or ignorant to patch, and then using those compromised machines to perform a DOS attack against MS

5a) MSFT doesn't direct the worm at old versions of Windows because they don't care about them any more and provide almost no support.

Or maybe the real reason is that the service the worm exploits doesn't exist in the previous OS. It would help your case to know what you're talking about.

6) MSFT gets mildly annoyed customers to download the patches, and, probably, to pay more attention to patches in the future. 7) On Saturday, MSFT can claim that it has successfully fought off the worm. 8) Ergo, MSFT has covered its posterior. 9) Someone in Redmond will be getting a big, big raise.

This isn't show business, there is such a thing as bad publicity, and there are plenty of alternatives to MS if people care to explore and invest in them.

[FierceDraka]

It's actually pretty easy to prevent. Just close the ports that the worm attacks.